RetinAI collaborates with Novartis to bring artificial intelligence solutions to ophthalmology
08.12.2020
RetinAI Medical AG announces a multi-year collaboration with Novartis Pharma AG under which RetinAI’s IT solutions and artificial intelligence tools shall be employed to support multiple projects in ophthalmology and digital health. Both companies have previously worked successfully on pilot projects in this disease area. We enjoyed this opportunity to interview Carlos Ciller, CEO of RetinAI Medical AG, about this collaboration and his entrepreneurial path.
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Bern-based digital health startup RetinAI Medical develops software solutions to accelerate clinics, research, and pharmaceutical workflows using advanced machine learning and computer vision. The company builds tools to collect, organize, and analyze health data from the eyes, empowering healthcare professionals and patients with unique medical data analyses supported by Artificial Intelligence. RetinAI's international team combines clinical, technical, and scientific knowledge to foster the transition from reactive to preventive medicine for severe diseases affecting the eye. Founded in 2017, the startup participated in Venture Kick and was selected a part of the Swiss National Startup Team for Venture Leaders Life Sciences this same year. In 2018, they were part of Venture Leaders China and elected among the TOP 100 Swiss Startups.
The first project under the new Master Agreement with Novartis will support a multi-center international clinical study involving patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD). The study is designed to investigate the influence of optical coherence tomography (OCT) image solutions using Artificial Intelligence (AI) on the assessment of disease activity. The study will be conducted in several clinical centers in numerous European countries and Canada, involving more than 500 patients.
For this study, RetinAI will provide its CE-marked web-based software platform, RetinAI Discovery®, a data management platform to efficiently process data at scale across imaging platforms and devices. Discovery® is used today by professionals to navigate imaging data, compute imaging biomarkers, and track changes over time for some of the most common forms of eye diseases. RetinAI’s tools also support diagnostic analyses and clinical workflows as well as patient monitoring & adherence to treatment.
“RetinAI is excited to expand and intensify our partnership with Novartis who is one of the top pharma companies in ophthalmology with deep competence, dedication, and focus on digital innovation in eye care. We clearly see the value that RetinAI can bring to Novartis. Our Discovery® platform and AI tools are enablers to increase efficiency in research and clinical studies and we expect they can also improve medications and treatments for patients. We believe in using RetinAI’s technologies to support patients treated with ophthalmic medications will provide enhanced disease insights and create opportunities for more precise treatments." commented Dr. Carlos Ciller, CEO of RetinAI.
We interviewed him about this collaboration with Novartis and his entrepreneurial path to reach this milestone.
Carlos, how will the collaboration with Novartis help achieve RetinAI’s vision?
This collaboration is a great endorsement and an opportunity. We have the vision of accelerating clinics, research and pharmaceutical workflows and there's a good alignment with Novartis' mission and vision. Novartis is one of the top pharmaceutical companies in ophthalmology, pioneering treatments for many retinal diseases over the last decades, so we see multiple avenues to collaborate and create value together. We also understand that the digitalization of healthcare institutions is a slow process that requires constant effort and support from all the stakeholders in the ecosystem, and we share this vision too. The future is digital!
You won Venture Kick in 2017. How did it help you lay the foundation for your growth and today's achievement?
I believe Switzerland is an economy based on validation, quality and trust, and this same applies to Swiss startups. Back in 2017, we were just coming out fresh from the University of Bern, the University of Lausanne, and EPFL after our PhDs (the co-founders) and we had the opportunity to be part of the acceleration pipeline that VentureKick represents. Thanks to the seal of quality provided with every kick, we were able to jumpstart RetinAI and bridge this transition from an academic environment to a business playground. Venturelab / Venturekick programs have been paramount for our success and the success of the Swiss startup ecosystem. I believe today's success is in part thanks to this process.
You also participated in Venture Leaders Life Science in 2017, in Venture Leaders China in 2018, and were selected among the TOP 100 Best Swiss Startups the same year. How did it leverage your fundraising strategy?
I am very thankful for the opportunity that we had back then to bring our innovation and value to Boston in 2017 and to China the year after in 2018. I believe the exposure that you gain and the access to a network that each of these opportunities represents is unique. By visiting different environments you expose yourself to be challenged and you learn in this process. We were able to engage with investors, potential customers, and collaborators as a result of these trips and we made contacts that we are interacting with on a constant basis even today.
We also consider being selected as one of the members of the Top 100 a recognition of our work and effort. Sometimes it's difficult to show, because you are focusing on the development of the startup continuously, leaving little time to reflect. Hopefully, we can make it again to the top next year!
Can you tell us a bit more about your inspiration to found RetinAI?
A bit more than 4 years ago, towards the end of our PhDs, we realized that all the research we had done in the lab combining Artificial Intelligence and healthcare was never going to be used by the people who needed it the most, so we decided to take action and created a company with the vision to break the technological barriers that separate healthcare professional from information and insights.
We realized the market potential and the biggest challenges and understood how AI could support achieving these goals better than ever before, that's why we created RetinAI. We had the team, the will, the clinical support, and the knowledge to bring this technology into high-regulated medical products to benefit millions, one patient at a time.
What is your advice for the potential Medtech entrepreneurs launching companies in Switzerland today? What does it take? What helped you succeed?
I would recommend everyone willing to create a company in Switzerland to participate in one of the many opportunities to learn (Innosuisse courses, Accelerators, ...) and engage with the community sharing ideas and putting them to test. Almost every entrepreneur I know will be happy to give you a little piece of advice about what worked for them.
I would also advise them to be aware that it will take time and effort, it's a marathon and you're competing with everyone, so be ready for difficulties! I also think that the opportunity of being connected to an ecosystem and finding early points of support (i.e. co-founders/meetups/entrepreneurs in your network/contacts...) is key to being successful.
The first project under the new Master Agreement with Novartis will support a multi-center international clinical study involving patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD). The study is designed to investigate the influence of optical coherence tomography (OCT) image solutions using Artificial Intelligence (AI) on the assessment of disease activity. The study will be conducted in several clinical centers in numerous European countries and Canada, involving more than 500 patients.
For this study, RetinAI will provide its CE-marked web-based software platform, RetinAI Discovery®, a data management platform to efficiently process data at scale across imaging platforms and devices. Discovery® is used today by professionals to navigate imaging data, compute imaging biomarkers, and track changes over time for some of the most common forms of eye diseases. RetinAI’s tools also support diagnostic analyses and clinical workflows as well as patient monitoring & adherence to treatment.
“RetinAI is excited to expand and intensify our partnership with Novartis who is one of the top pharma companies in ophthalmology with deep competence, dedication, and focus on digital innovation in eye care. We clearly see the value that RetinAI can bring to Novartis. Our Discovery® platform and AI tools are enablers to increase efficiency in research and clinical studies and we expect they can also improve medications and treatments for patients. We believe in using RetinAI’s technologies to support patients treated with ophthalmic medications will provide enhanced disease insights and create opportunities for more precise treatments." commented Dr. Carlos Ciller, CEO of RetinAI.
We interviewed him about this collaboration with Novartis and his entrepreneurial path to reach this milestone.
Carlos, how will the collaboration with Novartis help achieve RetinAI’s vision?This collaboration is a great endorsement and an opportunity. We have the vision of accelerating clinics, research and pharmaceutical workflows and there's a good alignment with Novartis' mission and vision. Novartis is one of the top pharmaceutical companies in ophthalmology, pioneering treatments for many retinal diseases over the last decades, so we see multiple avenues to collaborate and create value together. We also understand that the digitalization of healthcare institutions is a slow process that requires constant effort and support from all the stakeholders in the ecosystem, and we share this vision too. The future is digital!
You won Venture Kick in 2017. How did it help you lay the foundation for your growth and today's achievement?
I believe Switzerland is an economy based on validation, quality and trust, and this same applies to Swiss startups. Back in 2017, we were just coming out fresh from the University of Bern, the University of Lausanne, and EPFL after our PhDs (the co-founders) and we had the opportunity to be part of the acceleration pipeline that VentureKick represents. Thanks to the seal of quality provided with every kick, we were able to jumpstart RetinAI and bridge this transition from an academic environment to a business playground. Venturelab / Venturekick programs have been paramount for our success and the success of the Swiss startup ecosystem. I believe today's success is in part thanks to this process.
You also participated in Venture Leaders Life Science in 2017, in Venture Leaders China in 2018, and were selected among the TOP 100 Best Swiss Startups the same year. How did it leverage your fundraising strategy?
I am very thankful for the opportunity that we had back then to bring our innovation and value to Boston in 2017 and to China the year after in 2018. I believe the exposure that you gain and the access to a network that each of these opportunities represents is unique. By visiting different environments you expose yourself to be challenged and you learn in this process. We were able to engage with investors, potential customers, and collaborators as a result of these trips and we made contacts that we are interacting with on a constant basis even today.
We also consider being selected as one of the members of the Top 100 a recognition of our work and effort. Sometimes it's difficult to show, because you are focusing on the development of the startup continuously, leaving little time to reflect. Hopefully, we can make it again to the top next year!
Can you tell us a bit more about your inspiration to found RetinAI?
A bit more than 4 years ago, towards the end of our PhDs, we realized that all the research we had done in the lab combining Artificial Intelligence and healthcare was never going to be used by the people who needed it the most, so we decided to take action and created a company with the vision to break the technological barriers that separate healthcare professional from information and insights.
We realized the market potential and the biggest challenges and understood how AI could support achieving these goals better than ever before, that's why we created RetinAI. We had the team, the will, the clinical support, and the knowledge to bring this technology into high-regulated medical products to benefit millions, one patient at a time.
What is your advice for the potential Medtech entrepreneurs launching companies in Switzerland today? What does it take? What helped you succeed?
I would recommend everyone willing to create a company in Switzerland to participate in one of the many opportunities to learn (Innosuisse courses, Accelerators, ...) and engage with the community sharing ideas and putting them to test. Almost every entrepreneur I know will be happy to give you a little piece of advice about what worked for them.
I would also advise them to be aware that it will take time and effort, it's a marathon and you're competing with everyone, so be ready for difficulties! I also think that the opportunity of being connected to an ecosystem and finding early points of support (i.e. co-founders/meetups/entrepreneurs in your network/contacts...) is key to being successful.