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Owkin and University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust (UHB) announced today a new five year research partnership to use artificial intelligence (AI) to accelerate the screening and diagnosis of a range of diseases, starting with colorectal cancer. 

Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer type worldwide, with almost 2 million cases of colorectal cancer diagnosed each year. Early detection significantly increases the chances of successful treatment. AI powered diagnostics have the potential to accelerate the screening process, playing a crucial role in facilitating earlier intervention which often leads to better patient outcomes.

The first research project in this collaboration aims to evaluate the performance of Owkin’s MSIntuit CRC solution in the United Kingdom across UHB’s cohort of 830 patients with primary colorectal adenocarcinoma. 

Already CE-marked in the European Union and registered for use by the MHRA, the MSIntuit CRC pre-screening solution assists pathologists in the identification of the Microsatellite Instability (MSI) status of colorectal patients, using a deep learning algorithm on digital histology slides.

MSI is an important biomarker for colorectal cancer; it represents a defect in a cell’s ability to correct mistakes that occur when DNA is replicated. Understanding a patient’s MSI status can support doctors in developing more personalised treatment plans, helping patients receive the most appropriate therapies based on their unique characteristics. MSIntuit CRC aims to support pathologists and oncologists through saving time and resources, with the end goal of providing better quality and efficiency for critical tests. 

To find out more about the types of research projects involved in this partnership and the full press release, see Owkin and University Hospitals Birmingham collaborate to use AI diagnostics in a study that may diagnose and help treat colorectal cancer quicker – Owkin