Optellum, a lung-health AI company has entered a strategic collaboration with the Lung Cancer Initiative at Johnson & Johnson. Through the collaboration, Optellum will apply its AI-powered clinical decision support platform with the goal of increasing lung cancer survival rates through early intervention and prevention.

Lung cancer is the most common type of cancer and the leading cause of cancer deaths in the world. Approximately 1.8 million people worldwide die from lung cancer each year. The current five-year survival rate is only 20%, primarily due to most patients being diagnosed after the disease has progressed to an advanced stage (Stage III or IV). However, the survival rate for small tumors treated at Stage IA is as high as 90%.

At the core of the collaboration is Optellum’s commercial software, Virtual Nodule Clinic, including an AI-powered digital biomarker based on neural networks and imaging analytics. It identifies and tracks at-risk patients and assigns a Lung Cancer Prediction score to lung nodules: small lesions, frequently detected in chest Computed Tomography (CT) scans that may or may not be cancerous. The Optellum AI will be used to drive accurate early diagnosis and optimal treatment decisions with the aim of treating patients earlier, potentially at a pre-cancerous stage, increasing survival rates.

The Optellum software achieved US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance in March 2021 and is being implemented in clinical care by leading hospitals initially across the United States, with rollouts in select Asia-Pacific and European markets to follow. The software was extensively validated in multi-center studies led by co-authors of clinical guidelines. In the clinical study underpinning the FDA clearance, all pulmonologists and radiologists in the study showed a statistically significant improvement in their diagnostic accuracy and consistency, and made more optimal clinical management decisions.

Optellum’s vision is to redefine the early intervention of lung cancer by enabling every patient to be diagnosed and treated at the earliest possible stage when the chances of cure are highest. In addition to its lung cancer product portfolio, the company is exploring solutions applying the same technology platform to other deadly diseases of the lungs such as interstitial lung disease and COPD.

“This collaboration is a significant milestone for Optellum,” commented Václav Pot?šil, PhD, founder and CEO of Optellum. “It brings us one step closer to Optellum’s vision of redefining early lung cancer treatment by helping every clinician, in every hospital to make the right decisions and provide their patients the best chance to fight back.”

Professor Sam Janes, MD, Head of the Respiratory Research Department at UCL Hospitals, Vice-Chair of the UK National Clinical Reference Group for Lung Cancer and member of the Optellum Medical Advisory Board, commented:

“I believe the next step in lung cancer diagnosis and treatment is seeing the emerging new technologies coming together. AI is key to enabling integration of imaging, clinical, and molecular data—such as liquid biopsies—in order to diagnose disease even earlier. This convergence of technologies has tremendous potential to help physicians prevent, intercept, and ultimately cure patients with early-stage lung cancer.”

About Optellum

Optellum is a commercial-stage lung health company providing artificial intelligence decision support software that assists physicians in early diagnosis and optimal treatment for their patients. The company was founded so that every lung disease patient is diagnosed and treated at the earliest possible stage when chances of cure are highest. Optellum’s roadmap extends beyond lung cancer diagnosis and treatment to other deadly diseases of the lungs, including interstitial lung disease (ILD) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Optellum is headquartered at the Oxford Centre for Innovation in Oxford, UK and at the Texas Medical Center in Houston, USA.

RapidAI, the global leader in neurovascular and vascular imaging driving the next evolution of clinical decision making and patient workflow, announced record corporate momentum with more than 2.8M scans to date on its platform — the most clinically advanced in the industry.

The COVID-19 pandemic has increased providers’ need for technology that brings together previously disconnected care teams. Now in use at more than 1,800 hospitals across 60 countries — including 18 of the top 20 in U.S. News’ 2020-21 Best Hospitals report — hospitals deploying RapidAI are automating workflows and improving communications to enable quicker triage and treatment.

“We continue to be laser-focused on bringing advanced solutions to improve patient care,” said Don Listwin, CEO of RapidAI. “As we build significant relationships with our customers and leading organizations, and gain certifications that further validate our platform, we are excited not just about the momentum we have achieved, but also the opportunity to redefine the patient care journey with AI.”

As the global leader using AI to combat life-threatening conditions, RapidAI has achieved the following since the start of 2021:

• Extended NTAP reimbursement – The New Technology Add-on Payment (NTAP) for Rapid LVO was recently renewed based on its demonstrated ability to increase access to care, save time, and improve outcomes. NTAP is an additional Medicare reimbursement that financially assists healthcare organizations when they adopt new technology.
• Record number of scans – RapidAI has seen substantial growth in the number of scans processed on its platform, reaching more than 2.8M to date.
  • In the first half of 2021 alone, the platform saw nearly 1 million scans from over 500,000 patients around the world, approximately two scans every minute since the start of the year.
• Product innovation – Building on its platform for stroke and aneurysm, which combined, have more FDA clearances than any other company in this space, RapidAI has expanded its portfolio to address prehospital stroke care and pulmonary embolism.
  • Introduced in June, Rapid Workflow for PE, is a product designed to align hospital teams on the treatment of patients suspected of having a pulmonary embolism.
  • The Rapid for Prehospital mobile app, launched in May, helps EMS and hospitals follow a standardized stroke protocol that streamlines data collection and improves collaboration while en route to an appropriate hospital.
• Impactful global partnerships – The recently launched Rapid Workflow for PE is a product of the partnership with Penumbra, Inc., a global healthcare company focused on innovative therapies to treat ischemic stroke and vascular blood clots. Additionally, RapidAI recently partnered with Stryker in the US to deliver flexible financing solutions, offering RapidAI stroke and aneurysm imaging software with Stryker neurovascular devices.
  • The company also expanded global partnerships in Latin America, as the exclusive neuroimaging partner for the new Stroke Center Certification Program through a partnership with the World Stroke Organization (WSO), as well as in Australia, having secured TGA clearance for the Rapid stroke imaging platform and now serving more than 50 hospitals and teleradiology services across the country.
• Bolstered board membership – RapidAI has also recently added two new board members, Dr. Hadi Saleh, CEO of the CeramTec Group and John Drew, General Partner, TCV.

“It’s critical that healthcare providers have reliable real-time clinical data from the very earliest stages of patient care to make informed decisions and communicate efficiently,” said Alejandro Spiotta, M.D., Medical University of South Carolina Division of Neuroendovascular Surgery Director. “With time being so critical, an advanced platform like RapidAI’s is essential to streamline patient workflow and improve communications across the entire care team.”

With many new products on the horizon, RapidAI is poised to continue its growth and lead the way in helping hospitals transform patient care for life-threatening conditions.

About RapidAI

RapidAI is the global leader in using AI to combat life-threatening vascular and neurovascular conditions. From home to hospital and ER to OR, RapidAI is leading the next evolution of clinical decision-making and patient workflow, bringing the end-to-end patient journey into focus. Based on intelligence gained from over 2.8 million scans in more than 1,800 hospitals in over 60 countries, the Rapid® platform transforms care coordination, offering care teams a level of patient visibility never before possible, saving lives, time and money.

Qardio, Inc. announced the launch of QardioDirect; a premier end-to-end Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) and telehealth service.

QardioDirect is an all-inclusive service for RPM that works seamlessly with both patient and doctor. Qardio delivers device kits directly to the patient after prescription, and our team also provides one-to-one onboarding support for patients enrolled onto the platform to assist in adoption and compliance. Using Qardio’s range of devices, the patient can measure and record a full range of physiological parameters. As part of the service, doctors have access to the clinical portal, enabling clinicians to focus on the efficient triage and management of large patient populations.

With QardioDirect, healthcare providers can deliver full 360 care for patients in a wide range of chronic conditions including: hypertension, congestive heart failure, obesity, kidney disease, diabetes, post-surgical care and more. The platform also automates the billing process and is easily integrated with EHRs and other digital health platforms.

Qardio’s Executive Chairman Marcus Barkham added “QardioDirect removes all of the pain from delivering RPM. We enable clinicians to keep their focus where it is needed most, the treatment and management of their patients. The simplicity of our solutions ensure adherence to the program and long-term patient compliance. We are proud to deliver a service that offers such significant clinical and financial benefits to healthcare providers around the globe.”

QardioDirect user Dr. Tro Kalayjian, from Dr. Tro’s Medical Weight Loss and Direct Primary Care says “The quality of data is important. If there’s a worry, we’re able to address it immediately. With the help of Qardio, we are a highly connected office, as we are reaching people that want more involvement.”

About Qardio

Qardio is a medical technology company that operates at the intersection of cardiology and remote monitoring. Qardio’s suite of solutions provide improved outcomes for care providers and their patients across a range of care modalities via improved workflows and diagnostic yields, reduced cost, and ease of use. Founded in 2012, Qardio’s primary mission is to improve outcomes for adults living with a chronic heart condition, through simplified monitoring and diagnosis. QardioDirect, the remote patient monitoring service is equally suited to primary care and to discrete applications in hypertension, cardiovascular disease, obesity, chronic kidney disease, diabetes, post-surgical care and other chronic care conditions. Our award-winning solutions are available via medical channels and select consumer channels, to deliver the greatest impact.

Aetna, a CVS Health company, announced an innovative health care solution, Aetna Virtual Primary Care, that reimagines the primary care experience and makes it easier for people to get the health services they need, anytime, anywhere.

“The future of digital health solutions is rapidly unfolding,” said Dan Finke, Executive Vice President, CVS Health, and President, Aetna. “Aetna Virtual Primary Care is a first-of-its-kind health care solution that provides a simple, affordable, convenient way for eligible members to receive quality primary care from a physician-led care team that knows them and is accessible from virtually anywhere.”

With the Aetna Virtual Primary Care benefit, members have access to:

A diverse panel of board-certified physicians and coordinated care from a consistent team of specialists based on their health needs

A continuous relationship with a virtual care physician beginning from the first 30-45 minute comprehensive primary care visit and extending to every visit thereafter

Timely primary care appointments

$0 co-pay for virtual primary care visits and select in-person services at MinuteClinic and CVS HealthHUB locations1

In-depth preventive care with biometric screenings and support for managing chronic health issues all built on a personalized care plan

A virtual nurse care team through unlimited in-app text or phone for pre, during, and post-visit support, including navigation to in-person, local providers as well as labs and testing

In-person visits with in-network health care providers with no referral requirements

Existing Aetna virtual care offerings such as mental health counseling, dermatology services, and 24/7 urgent care

This new care experience is powered by Teladoc Health’s longitudinal, physician-led care team model, and complemented by the strength of Aetna’s provider network, and CVS Health services.

“Aetna Virtual Primary Care gives our members the power of choice and convenience, making it easier for people to get and stay healthy, even when balancing the demands of work and life,” said Finke. This, coupled with access to in-person visits with providers in our network, including MinuteClinic and HealthHUB locations, provides the flexibility needed for better health outcomes.
About CVS Health

CVS Health is the leading health solutions company, delivering care in ways no one else can. We reach more people and improve the health of communities across America through our local presence, digital channels and our nearly 300,000 dedicated colleagues including more than 40,000 physicians, pharmacists, nurses, and nurse practitioners. Wherever and whenever people need us, we help them with their health whether that’s managing chronic diseases, staying compliant with their medications, or accessing affordable health and wellness services in the most convenient ways. We help people navigate the health care system and their personal health care by improving access, lowering costs and being a trusted partner for every meaningful moment of health. And we do it all with heart, each and every day.

Abbott announced that the U.S. FDA approved the company’s Amplatzer™ Amulet™ Left Atrial Appendage Occluder to treat people with atrial fibrillation (AFib) who are at risk of ischemic stroke. The device offers immediate closure of the left atrial appendage (LAA) – an area where blood clots can form in people suffering from AFib – reducing their risk of stroke and immediately eliminating the need for blood-thinning medication.

The LAA is a small pouch connected to the upper left chamber of the heart. For people with AFib – the most common of the persistent arrhythmias, or irregular heartbeats – the heart’s ability to effectively pump blood can be disrupted, allowing blood to pool and collect in the LAA causing an increased risk for clotting. If clots reach the blood stream, they can travel to the brain and cause a stroke. For patients with AFib who are unable to take blood-thinning medication long term, physicians may opt for occlusion (or closure) of the LAA through a minimally invasive procedure using devices like Abbott’s Amulet to seal off the LAA entirely and reduce the risk of stroke.

As the world’s population continues to age, we’re seeing a surge in atrial fibrillation cases, and with that comes increased risk of stroke,” said Dhanunjaya Lakkireddy, M.D., Kansas City Heart Rhythm Institute at HCA Midwest Health, who served as principal investigator for the study that led to FDA approval. “The approval of Abbott’s Amulet device provides physicians with a treatment option that reduces the risk of stroke and eliminates the need for blood-thinning medication immediately after the procedure, which is incredibly valuable given the bleeding risks associated with these medicines.”

Before this approval, the only minimally invasive option for LAA occlusion for U.S. physicians and their patients was a solution with a single component to seal the LAA that requires blood-thinning drugs to heal and additional patient monitoring to ensure closure. In contrast, Abbott’s Amulet uses dual-seal technology to completely and immediately seal the LAA. Amulet recipients do not need to use blood-thinning medication following the procedure. Additionally, the device can treat a broad range of anatomies and has the widest range of occluder sizes on the market; it is also recapturable and repositionable to ensure optimal placement.

“Amulet’s unique dual-seal approach has made it the number one LAA closure product in Europe, so today’s device approval by the FDA is an important milestone in allowing us to bring this treatment option to American physicians and patients,” said Michael Dale, senior vice president of Abbott’s structural heart business. Consistent with our mission purpose, our minimally invasive Amulet procedure for reducing stroke risk in patients with atrial fibrillation will help people live better lives through better health.

About Amplatzer Amulet
The Amplatzer Amulet LAA Occluder has been approved for use in more than 80 countries, including in Europe, Canada and Australia, since its initial CE Mark approval in 2013. The FDA approval is supported by findings from the Amulet IDE trial, a large-scale randomized head-to-head study comparing Amulet with an alternative minimally invasive LAA occlusion device, which will be virtually presented at the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) 2021 Congress on August 30, 2021.

About Abbott:

Abbott is a global healthcare leader that helps people live more fully at all stages of life. Our portfolio of life-changing technologies spans the spectrum of healthcare, with leading businesses and products in diagnostics, medical devices, nutritionals and branded generic medicines. Our 109,000 colleagues serve people in more than 160 countries.