diagnostics.ai

Using artificial intelligence to ensure that safe and automated diagnostics are available to all.

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pcr.ai

One algorithm. Any test. Any machine. Clinically validated with 100% accuracy.

The only solution with a peer-reviewed clinical study.

The only solution with one multi-patented super-algorithm that can analyse any test on any machine.

The only solution with proven 100% accuracy.

Our AI analyses your data instantly and reliably – no more technicians analysing curves. Free up your staff, speed up results, reduce manual errors and lower costs.

One algorithm. Any test. Any machine. Clinically validated with 100% accuracy.

The only solution with a peer-reviewed clinical study.

The only solution with one multi-patented super-algorithm that can analyse any test on any machine.

The only solution with proven 100% accuracy.

Our AI analyses your data instantly and reliably – no more technicians analysing curves. Free up your staff, speed up results, reduce manual errors and lower costs.

Around 2.5bn qPCR infection tests are run every year (growing at 10-15%Estimates based on Markets and Markets report 2016 (Digital PCR (dPCR) and qPCR Market by Technology (Quantitative, Digital), Product (Instrument, Reagent, Software), Application (Clinical, Research, Forensic), End User (Hospital, Diagnostic Center, Academia, Pharma-Biotech Co) - Global Forecasts to 2021).). pcr.ai increases interpretation accuracy and integrates seamlessly with the vast majority of qPCR machines.

As well as removing opportunities for manual differentiations and errors, it saves laboratories time, money and eases compliance with relevant government regulations, including ISO15189. This automation also helps to address global shortages of trained laboratory staff. For more information, please see our product website or publications.

As well as removing opportunities for manual variability and errors, it saves time, money and eases compliance with government regulations, including ISO15189. This automation also helps address global shortages of trained laboratory staff. For more info, see our product website or publications.

Estimates based on Markets and Markets report 2016 (Digital PCR (dPCR) and qPCR Market by Technology (Quantitative, Digital), Product (Instrument, Reagent, Software), Application (Clinical, Research, Forensic), End User (Hospital, Diagnostic Center, Academia, Pharma-Biotech Co) - Global Forecasts to 2021).

About

diagnostics.ai (formerly Azure PCR) since 2014 has focused on solving patient safety issues caused by known problems with diagnostic testing. Many diagnostic issues are data-driven and resolving them requires new data-science based approaches. diagnostics.ai is focused on using innovative AI and machine-learning to improve diagnostic accuracy and cut costs – improving patient safety worldwide.

Many diagnostic tests require manual inputs and analysis, making them time consuming, expensive and leaving room for human error. diagnostics.ai’s initial focus is detection of infection, since misdiagnoses can lead to disease spread and evolution of antimicrobial resistant strains. Our first product, pcr.ai, enables automation of one of the world’s most popular methods of infection testing, – qPCR, where unexpected error rates as high as 20% (or more) have been documented. More information.

qPCR error rates

Studies have shown prevalent qPCR methods to have as high as a 20% error rate. In fact, a recent article in the Wall Street Journal called lab testing the “Wild West of Medicine.” In academic literature, global diagnostic rates for all test types are recorded as averaging 1 in 20 (National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (2015); Improving diagnosis in health care; The National Academies Press).

An NHS hospital, Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, recorded error rates of up to 20% (“mainly due to errors in manual analysis”) when using a semi-automated qPCR test for monitoring CMV infections in immunocompromised patients.
In comparison, results demonstrating that pcr.ai technology had no analysis errors when used with a semi-automated CMV test were published by NHS G&C hospital (Journal of Clinical Virology: Volume 70, Supplement 1 (Sept 2015)- abstracts 1585 and 1736 respectively).

impact

The future of medicine lies in bridging the gap between technological innovation and global healthcare needs. diagnostics.ai is playing a part in this future by applying artificial intelligence (AI) to diagnostics – making tests more automated, more accurate and therefore safer.

Embedding AI into diagnostics removes opportunities for human error and saves clinical labs time and money. For medical professionals, AI-enabled diagnostics result in more suitable patient treatment plans. For patients, diagnostics that are more reliable increase safety and limit preventable deaths.

At a global level, real-time data acquisition and AI-based standardisation has the potential to allow governments and NGOs to more effectively manage resources using data-driven monitoring of infection spread. By reducing need for trained staff, AI also helps resolve globally recognised staff-shortage issues.

Clinical Laboratory staff shortages

The manual input required by the majority of current testing methods is expensive, time consuming and reliant on experts. Growing staff shortages across the world - from the USA (AACC, ASCP) to India, across Africa and beyond have been identified by mainstream media. Clearly, a diagnostic solution is required that eliminates manual involvement and in its place, provides more standardised and therefore safer results.

The ramifications of this (as stated by leading academics in qPCR, Profs M Pfaffl, M Kubista and J Vandesomple in a 2009 book) are that “New analysis formats, using new algorithms for data analysis and ideas for reliable statistical analysis of real-time qPCR data are urgently required.”

Technology

The foundations of our ground-breaking technology are our internationally patented artificial intelligence (AI) based learning machines. These algorithms self-calibrate by ‘studying’ how an expert clinical technician interprets test results and then applying derived knowledge to automate future routine analyses, eliminating manual steps for patient testing.

This technology has been successfully implemented to automate infection testing in our first product - pcr.ai. pcr.ai has shown interpretation accuracy of 99.9%+, as validated in five independent studies with over 0.25m samples.

Jurisdiction	Number
Australia	2009352527
Canada	2855922
Canada	2817220
European Union	2766718
United States	8660968
United States	8738303
United States	9026481
United States	9043249

Title	Partner	Year	Results & key findings
Automation and standardisation of clinical molecular testing using PCR.Ai – A comparative performance study	NHS Glasgow, UK	2019	22,000+ samples processed, comparison shows pcr.ai more accurate than manual analysis
[Work-in-progress]	Johns Hopkins University	2017	250,000+ samples processed, comparison so far with manual shows concordance well above 99%
AccuCall™: A Novel Solution for the Automated Interpretation and QC of in-house, Real Time PCR Results	NHS Glasgow, UK	2015	-2250 samples; 100% concordance - 90% quicker than a technician
Utilization of Azure PCR AccuCall Software to Improve Analysis of PCR Data	University of Washington, USA	2015	-4496 samples, 100% concordance -more accurate than ABI -quicker, more efficient
Novel Solution Automates qPCR Diagnostics for Qualitative and Quantitative Data without Loss of Accuracy	NHS Glasgow, UK	2013	2500+ samples; 100% concordance
Novel, Fully Automated Method Allows Efficient Analysis of qPCR Data for Qualitative Calling Based on Comparative Cq	DuPont Pioneer, USA	2012	4000+ samples; 99.8% concordance
Automated data interpretation of H1N1/09 ('swine') influenza Real-time PCR data	St. Georges NHS Trust, UK	2010	2,500+ samples; 99.1% concordance

News and press releases

Latest news about diagnostics.ai and press releases.

AI clinical study demonstrates major benefits of machine learning for infection detection

A large clinical trial by NHS Glasgow (over 20,000 results) found our automated machine-learning (AI) analysis to be more accurate than existing expert processes for routine interpretation of patient tests for a range of pathogens; reducing costs, freeing up staff for other work including & allowing laboratories without access to skilled data analysts to run molecular diagnostic tests. #AI #healthcare #diagnostics

New large NHS clinical study proves pcr.ai improves infection detection published today in JCV. With clinical labs inundated especially in the winter months it can improve efficiency and allow labs without skilled analysts to run such tests.

For more information, click here for the press release and here for the article.

Viapath implementing diagnostics.ai to automate and digitise their molecular diagnostics

Following successful trials and commercial evaluations, Viapath has agreed implementation terms for diagnostics.ai’s unique artificial intelligence (AI) technology. The first laboratory implementation will be Viapath’s flagship South London Specialist Virology Centre at King’s College Hospital. The first systems to be automated will be the high-volume real-time PCR testing, used for a wide range of sample types and tests including respiratory, STD and gastrointestinal through the use of diagnostics.ai’s cloud-based service, pcr.ai.

Following successful trials and commercial evaluations, Viapath has agreed implementation terms for diagnostics.ai’s unique artificial intelligence (AI) technology.

For more information, click here for the press release.

diagnostics.ai win Digital Health 2017 Award for ‘Best Data-Driven Innovation’

We are proud to announce that we have been presented with the award for Best Data-Driven Innovation. The award was based on our advances in automating precision molecular diagnostics, which are already enabling faster and more accurate results for patient tests sent to specialist labs. Diagnostics.ai’s technology reduces time and cost of testing, and increases accuracy - reducing the current one-in-six misdiagnosis rate and improving patient safety. It also enables precision testing to enter doctors’ surgeries and other point-of-care environments.

For more information, click here for the press release.

MedCity Grant Awarded

We are delighted to announce that diagnostics.ai have been awarded a prestigious grant from MedCity’s Collaborate to Innovate program. This program aims at developing and commercialising healthcare innovations, and will fund a collaboration between diagnostics.ai and the Department of Infectious Diseases at King’s College London (KCL). The collaboration will help to develop diagnostics.ai’s AI based diagnostic tool, pcr.ai, and enable it to operate in a high workload clinical laboratory diagnostic service. This award is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund and part-funded by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE). The diagnostics.ai team are excited to work on this dynamic grant project with KCL and to further develop our innovative technology, enabling it to help our customer and partner labs even more.

For more information, click here for the press release.

Diagnostics.ai (formerly Azure PCR) Excited to Announce Brand Relaunch

We are thrilled to officially rebrand our company as diagnostics.ai. We feel that our new name encapsulates our mission of using artificial intelligence (AI) to transform the diagnostics industry, ensuring that safe and automated infection testing is available for all. With diagnostics.ai’s first product, pcr.ai, we are using AI to enable higher testing accuracy, allowing patients to be treated more efficiently and effectively, saving lives.

Azure PCR announce collaboration with Johns Hopkins University

Azure PCR and the PERCH team at Johns Hopkins School of Public Health have signed an agreement to evaluate the accuracy and value of Azure PCR's technology in low resource contexts. The PERCH project is a $285m funded study to investigate the causes of childhood pneumonia in some of the world’s hardest hit populations. Some 12,000 children across seven countries will be tested over the course of the study and is expected to generate about 400,000 test results.

For more information, please click here for the press release.

Team

Our innovative team is led by mathematicians and computer scientists, not laboratory biologists. This has uniquely placed us to solve the problem from a fresh angle and mathematical perspective which has been integral to our technological success.

Aron Cohen, CEO Aron passionately pursues the use of our cutting edge technology in improving patient safety worldwide. In tirelessly visiting labs around the world and pushing the diagnostics.ai team to always think bigger, he is the leading business brain behind our operation.

Ze'ev Russak, CTO Ze'ev is our technological innovator, who is able to quickly grasp the complexities of any given problem and solve it with his impressive scientific creativity. Ze'ev honed his expertise in an elite Israeli army intelligence unit and leads our brilliant tech team.

Simon Bengen, CPO Background in engineering and business consultancy enabling a fitting interface between company inventions and the marketplace. He is always thinking in terms of risk, the ideal approach for a medical device.

Prof. Brian Glenville, Chairman

Prof. Brian Glenville, Chairman

Samuel Cohen, CFO

Non-executives, advisors and key staff

Wolf (Maths, Yale), Kramer (Molecular, PHRI), Drs Bar (PCR analytics), Peleg (bio-chemistry) and Kennard (Business)

Aron passionately pursues the use of our cutting edge technology in improving patient safety worldwide. In tirelessly visiting labs around the world and pushing the diagnostics.ai team to always think bigger, he is the leading business brain behind our operation.

Ze'ev is our technological innovator, who is able to quickly grasp the complexities of any given problem and solve it with his impressive scientific creativity. Ze'ev honed his expertise in an elite Israeli army intelligence unit and leads our brilliant tech team.

Passion for, and clear track record in growing and scaling businesses, from his own successful start-ups to large B2B’s.

Background in engineering and business consultancy enabling a fitting interface between company inventions and the marketplace. He is always thinking in terms of risk, the ideal approach for a medical device.