AI / Machine Learning | November Round-Up

December 9, 2024

Newsletter Update

Clinical Diagnostics

Luka Jelcic

Project Leader

Merouane Ounadjela

Associate

Eliza French

Associate

Katie Schneider

Associate

Graham Friedman

Associate

Rebecca Bair

Senior Analyst

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‍Highlights & Summary

November 2024 brought more developments in AI! The month was packed with new advancements. From Cradle's $73M funding round for protein engineering to Annalise.ai's chest X-ray tool going live in the NHS, and even Capitol Hill chatting up AI policy—this month's updates have quite a few areas to unpack.

Happy reading!

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NOW PUBLISHED! DeciBio's Digital & Computational Pathology Report DeciBio released the second edition of our Digital & Computational Pathology Market Report (2024 - 2029), which outlines key dynamics shaping the market in the coming years.

Cradle has raised $73 million in Series B funding led by IVP, with continued support from Index Ventures and Kindred Capital, bringing its total funding to over $100 million. Cradle’s AI-powered platform accelerates protein engineering by leveraging generative AI models that continuously improve with experimental data, enabling faster R&D with cost reductions of up to 90%. The company’s platform has gained traction with industry leaders like Novo Nordisk and Johnson & Johnson, and it now supports over 21 customers developing 31 proteins. The funding will expand Cradle’s wet lab research, enhance its engineering capabilities, and scale global operations to make protein design accessible to more labs.

2 | Nabla Bio Makes Advances In AI-Driven Antibody Design | New Research

Nabla Bio, a small biotech startup, has published promising preclinical results in AI-driven antibody design, including the first reported de novo antibodies targeting GPCRs, notoriously difficult drug targets. Using its JAM (Joint Atomic Modeling) AI system, Nabla generated antibodies with strong binding affinities, showcasing potential as viable drug candidates. Despite focusing on nanobodies and facing challenges with full-sized monoclonal antibodies, Nabla’s progress highlights a step forward in drug discovery. While larger competitors like Xaira and Generate:Biomedicines also explore similar methods, Nabla aims to lead through innovation and partnerships with pharma giants like AstraZeneca and Takeda.

3 | Formation Bio, OpenAI, and Sanofi Launch Muse to Accelerate Patient Recruitment | Commercial

Formation Bio, OpenAI, and Sanofi have unveiled Muse, an AI-powered tool designed to accelerate patient recruitment for clinical trials by attempting to shorten timelines from months to minutes. Muse combines AI-driven insights with real-world data to identify optimal patient profiles, develop recruitment strategies, and generate tailored materials for diverse populations. The tool integrates compliance guidelines and emphasizes inclusivity, addressing key inefficiencies in trial enrollment. Initially deployed by Sanofi in Phase 3 multiple sclerosis trials, Muse represents one of the various ways players in the field are starting to use AI to enhance drug development efficiency.

4 | Arc Institute Unveils Evo: AI-Powered CRISPR Design for Synthetic Biology | New Research

The Arc Institute and Stanford University have introduced Evo, an AI biology model that designed a novel CRISPR system, EvoCas9-1, with performance comparable to the original Cas9 enzyme. Published in Science, Evo leverages the StripedHyena architecture to process vast genomic datasets and co-design protein-RNA and protein-DNA complexes. Unlike other models, Evo generalizes the entire gene-editing system, offering a streamlined approach. While currently limited to microorganisms, Evo shows promise for expanding synthetic biology, with applications in nucleases and ligases. The Arc team aims to scale Evo2 for complex organisms and pathways, advancing biological engineering capabilities.

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AI in Diagnostics

1 | Institut Curie Adopts Ibex AI Tools for Enhanced Cancer Diagnostics | Partnership

Institut Curie in France has integrated Ibex Medical Analytics’ AI-powered diagnostic tools into routine clinical practice, starting with prostate cancer diagnostics. Leveraging the Sectra Digital Pathology Solution, the AI enhances diagnostic accuracy, efficiency, and reliability, supporting pathologists in delivering precise patient care. The collaboration builds on prior research successes, including the validation of Ibex’s Breast solution published in npj Breast Cancer. This rollout reinforces Institut Curie’s leadership in digital pathology and underscores Ibex’s mission to revolutionize cancer care with AI-driven computational pathology solutions.

2 | AI Tool from Mass General Brigham Enhances Long COVID Diagnosis | New Research

Researchers at Mass General Brigham have developed an AI algorithm using "precision phenotyping" to identify long COVID cases from electronic health records with greater accuracy and inclusivity. The tool analyzes patient histories to differentiate long COVID symptoms from other conditions, estimating a prevalence rate of 22.8%—significantly higher than previous estimates. By addressing biases in traditional diagnostics, the AI offers a more representative demographic profile of long COVID patients. Though limited to Massachusetts data and some diagnostic gaps, the algorithm shows promise for improving care and advancing research into the condition’s genetic and biochemical subtypes.

3 | Philips and icometrix Revolutionize Neurology Diagnostics with AI Integration | Partnership

Philips and icometrix have unveiled an integrated AI solution at RSNA 2024 to enhance MRI-based diagnosis and treatment monitoring for neurological conditions like Alzheimer’s and multiple sclerosis (MS). The partnership combines Philips’ BlueSeal MR scanners with icometrix’s FDA-cleared icobrain software, providing automated, quantitative insights to support precision medicine. This solution addresses challenges like high imaging workloads and neuroradiologist shortages, offering efficient analysis of Alzheimer’s drug side effects and MS-specific imaging markers. The AI-driven technology is designed to streamline radiology workflows, improve diagnostic accuracy, and support personalized care plans for patients with neurological conditions.

4 | Greater Manchester Hospitals Roll Out AI Tool for Faster Lung Cancer Detection | New Launch

Seven NHS Trusts in Greater Manchester are implementing Annalise.ai’s AI-powered chest X-ray decision-support system to accelerate disease detection, including lung cancer. The tool, integrated via Sectra Imaging, can identify up to 124 findings on radiographs and provides results in under a minute, enabling quicker prioritization of suspicious cases. Funded by the Artificial Intelligence Diagnostics Fund (AIDF), this initiative addresses Greater Manchester’s higher-than-average lung cancer rates and aligns with efforts by the Greater Manchester Cancer Alliance to improve outcomes. Early adopters include Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust and The Christie.

AI in Healthcare

1 | Mount Sinai Opens Center for Artificial Intelligence and Human Health | New Launch

Mount Sinai Health System has launched the Hamilton and Amabel James Center for Artificial Intelligence and Human Health, a new research facility focused on advancing health care through AI, data science, and genomics. Core facilities include departments specializing in genomic health, digital health, imaging, and precision medicine, driving innovation in disease prevention and treatment. Notable projects include the NutriScan AI application, which aims to improve malnutrition diagnosis in hospitals. The center furthers Mount Sinai’s goal of integrating AI technologies into patient care and medical research.

2 | Citizen Health Announces $14.5 Million Seed Funding and New Partnerships | Financing

Citizen Health, an AI-powered platform addressing rare and complex health conditions, has secured $14.5 million in seed funding led by Transformation Capital, with contributions from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative which supports disease management research. The goal of the platform is to create a comprehensive health knowledge base, integrating clinical data, genetic information, and patient-reported outcomes to improve care and accelerate drug development. By leveraging AI, Citizen Health aims to reduce therapy advancement timelines and provide personalized health insights for rare disease patients.

3 | Research Grid raises $6.5 million to make clinical trials admin-free | Financing

Research Grid, an AI-powered startup streamlining clinical trial administration, has secured $6.5 million in seed funding. The company aims to address inefficiencies in clinical trials, which cost up to $400 million annually due to delays, by automating back-office tasks through its Inclusive and TrialEngine products. These AI-driven tools manage patient recruitment, data handling, and reporting workflows, in efforts to cut trial timelines, reduce costs, and improve patient engagement. Research Grid plans to expand its R&D, engineering teams, and market presence in the U.S. and Asia, contributing to a growing demand for clinical trial automation.

4 | Congressional staffers expect bipartisan movement on AI | Regulatory

Last week, health policy staffers and industry leaders convened at the Capitol for a Coalition for Health AI (CHAI) event to discuss bipartisan efforts in artificial intelligence policy. The discussions reflected growing Congressional interest in advancing AI through concrete policy recommendations, including applications in health care such as prior authorization, algorithm transparency, NIH research funding, data sharing, and addressing algorithmic bias. Policymakers emphasized that Congress is transitioning from general education on AI to formulating actionable policies. Aiming to promote AI innovation, policymakers expressed desire to avoid overregulation of AI that could stifle progress.