[BIO USA 2024] Neurophet's AI solution to detect side effects of Alzheimer's drugs

Neurophet, a Korean medical AI company, will soon launch Neurophet Aqua AD, an AI solution tentatively named Neurophet Aqua AD. This solution diagnoses the side effects of Alzheimer's drugs, including lecanemab (Leqembi in trade name) and donanemab.

"We will introduce it at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference (AAIC) at the end of July," Neurophet CEO Been Jun-kil said during the BIO International Convention (BIO USA 2024) held in San Diego, Calif., from June 3 to 6, local time.

The solution can diagnose Amyloid-Related Imaging Abnormalities (ARIA), a side effect of Alzheimer's drugs. ARIAs are abnormalities, including temporary swelling or microbleeds, occurring in the brain when administering anti-amyloid antibody treatments.

Neurophet plans to launch the solution in late July for research use and aims to receive medical device approval in the first half of next year and enter the market.

"There are only a few companies worldwide that have specialized technology for ARIA diagnostics like ours," CEO Been said. “We are the only company in Asia. Some four companies are developing it globally, but we will be the first when we launch it in late July.”

He continued, "It is critical to diagnose ARIA quickly, and MRI readings for ARIA diagnosis are time-consuming and prone to human error. The new product automates the process, making it more accurate and reliable. We can provide patients with a faster and more accurate diagnosis."

The Neurophet CEO noted that ARIAs occur in more than 18 percent of cases administered with the recently approved Leqembi in Korea.

“If ARIA occurs, the drug must be discontinued, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends monitoring for ARIA by performing MRIs during at least three doses," Been said. "AI solutions can solve these problems and improve patient safety and accuracy."

In addition, Neurophet, which participated in BIO USA for the third year, is targeting the imaging contract research organization (CRO) market. The company is particularly strong in brain image analysis, which plays an important role in clinical trials related to brain diseases.

"Brain image analysis is an important component of clinical trials, and Neurophet has been engaging with Alzheimer's disease diagnosis and treatment companies to create opportunities for collaboration," Been said. "We have demonstrated this capability by winning image analysis projects from the Korean Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) and AriBio, a Korean company developing Alzheimer's drug.”

CEO Been said the company’s goal is to win projects from biotechs and global big pharma. "Our solution can deliver results the same day or the next day, whereas other companies take an average of three to seven days. This speed and accuracy is our strength," he added.

"We have already begun the process of going public," he said while explaining the company's initial public offering (IPO) plans. "We aim to pass the technical assessment and file a preliminary examination request within this year, expecting to receive preliminary approval in the first half of next year."