ArtiQ Wins UK Government Funding for its AI Algorithms to Support Timely Diagnosis of Lung Diseases

Leuven, Belgium, Wednesday, June 16th, 2021 – ArtiQ is one of 38 organizations to receive funding following a successful application in the latest round of the Artificial Intelligence in Health and Care Award. The Award means that ArtiQ will be able to investigate the real-world implementation of its software into primary care spirometry pathways, taking the technology one step closer to being used in the NHS to benefit patients across the UK.

The project will support spirometry services in primary care networks across Hillingdon (Northwest London), Leicester/Leicestershire/Rutland, and West Hampshire. In total, almost 250 GP practices and two million patients will have access to spirometry supported by ArtiQ’s AI software. The project consortium expects patients in these regions to be diagnosed with respiratory diseases (such as asthma, COPD and ILD) earlier, with fewer tests and referrals to hospitals, and with improved treatments and well-being. For the NHS, this project will demonstrate the health service improvement and cost-savings possible by supporting primary care spirometry with this AI-powered software.

Marko Topalovic, joint lead investigator of the project and CEO of ArtiQ, says “We are very pleased that the NHS recognizes the importance of early detection of lung disease, and the value our technology can bring to both patients and to primary care . Spirometry is the main tool to evaluate the respiratory system, and ArtiQ enhances it by bringing respiratory specialist-level of expertise through our AI software.” He further adds: “We are delighted to be part of such a fantastic team, with partners from leading NHS and academic institutions.”

The consortium will be lead jointly by ArtiQ and Dr. William Man, consultant chest physician at Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospitals.

Dr Man said: “This AI technology could be used to make quicker and more accurate diagnoses, which means patients can start treatment sooner before any lung diseases progress too far. We believe it has the potential to have a significant effect on reducing health inequalities in lung disease.”

The AI Award is one of the programs that make up the NHS AI Lab, led by NHSX and delivered in partnership with the Accelerated Access Collaborative (AAC) and the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). The Award aims to increase the impact of AI-driven technologies to help solve clinical and operational challenges across the NHS and care settings. It will speed up the most promising technologies through the regulatory process by building an evidence base to demonstrate the effectiveness and safety of AI-driven technologies in health and social care.

Dr Indra Joshi, Director of AI, NHSX, said: “With this latest round of AI Award winners, we now have an incredible breadth of expertise across a wide range of clinical and operational areas. Through this award, ArtiQ will be at the forefront of applying artificial intelligence in new ways to transform health and care.”

ArtiQ is a young, dynamic, and innovative spin-off company of the University of Leuven (Belgium). The company was founded in early 2019 based on extensive experience in respiratory medicine, medical devices, and artificial intelligence. ArtiQ’s mission is to empower medical professionals with artificial intelligence to accurately and timely diagnose, treat and follow-up patients with lung diseases.

Royal Brompton and Harefield hospitals are one of the world leaders in the diagnosis, management, and treatment of lung disease. The hospitals have one of the world’s largest lung disease patient populations, and as a leading European respiratory research center, has pioneered research that has set national standards for treatment in collaboration with its partner, the National Heart and Lung Institute. Dr Man’s research team is based primarily at Harefield Hospital.

NHSX is a joint unit of teams from the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England and Improvement, driving forward the digital transformation of health and social care.

The Accelerated Access Collaborative (AAC) is a unique partnership between patient groups, government bodies, industry and NHS bodies, working together to streamline the adoption of new innovations in healthcare.

The National Institute for Health and Research (NIHR) provides the people, facilities, and technology that enable research to thrive.