A start-up from the Mayo Clinic orbit is partnering with Pfizer to develop an AI-enhanced ECG that can detect cardiac amyloidosis, a progressive disease that's difficult to diagnose early.
A startup launched out of the Mayo Clinic Platform is partnering with Pfizer to develop AI software that can detect cardiac amyloidosis in an electrocardiogram.
Anumana, which was launched in 2021 and is part of the nference software company's portfolio, intends to develop the AI-ECG tool as a software-as-a-medical-device (SaMD) and market the algorithm in the US, Europe, and Japan.
This isn't the first time Anumana has created software addressing cardiac issues. The company has developed AI-ECG algorithms in the past through the Mayo Clinic for detection of low ejection fraction, pulmonary hypertension, and hyperkalemia, all of which have received Breakthrough Device designation from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The latest software takes aim at cardiac amyloidosis, an often undiagnosed and progressive disease characterized by the stiffening of the walls of the heart, interfering with the function of the left ventricle. Symptoms include shortness of breath, knee pain, bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, kidney disease, and gastrointestinal issues.
Because the symptoms are so diverse, the condition is hard to diagnose. Earlier detection would give clinicians time to develop more effective treatment plans that would improve clinical outcomes over time.
“The challenge in diagnosing cardiac amyloidosis can prevent patients from getting treatment while the disease continues to progress,” David McMullin, Anumana's chief business officer, said in a press release. “We believe this collaboration [with Pfizer] will demonstrate the power of Anumana’s AI-ECG algorithms to help clinicians intervene earlier, giving them greater ability to improve patient outcomes and prolong lives.”
The project is the latest of many that aim to use AI to spot infinitesimal trends in data that might not be picked up by manual data review until much later.
“AI-ECG solutions alert clinicians to humanly imperceptible patterns in ECG signals, providing an early warning for serious occult or impending disease,” added Paul Friedman, MD, chair of the Mayo Clinic's Department of Cardiovascular Medicine and chair of Anumana’s Mayo Clinic Board of Advisors. “This stands to improve the lives of people with cardiac amyloidosis by improving the speed of triage and care of this group.”
Eric Wicklund is the associate content manager and senior editor for Innovation, Technology, and Pharma for HealthLeaders.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Cardiac amyloidosis is characterized by a thickening of the walls of the heart, with a range of diverse symptoms that make diagnosis very difficult.
Anumana, a company spun out of the Mayo Clinic Platform, is partnering with Pfizer to develop an AI tool that analyzes ECGs for evidence of the disease.
The company has developed FDA-approved AI-ECG tools for low ejection fraction, pulmonary hypertension, and hyperkalemia.