UK-based health technology company Ultromics has announced a partnership with Pfizer to expedite the development and pursue US Food and Drug Administration clearance for its artificial intelligence (AI) platform to detect cardiac amyloidosis.

Referred to as EchoGo Amyloidosis, the platform leverages AI for the early detection of cardiac amyloidosis, a heterogeneous disease that arises from the accumulation of abnormal proteins in the heart.

The EchoGo Amyloidosis algorithm, which received breakthrough device designation in 2023, utilises deep learning to analyse echocardiograms for signs of cardiac amyloidosis.

Ultromics CEO and founder Dr Ross Upton said: “AI can notify clinicians of disease presence and offer an early warning.

“Early identification and treatment of cardiac amyloidosis is critical to help slow disease progression. If cleared, EchoGo Amyloidosis will help physicians identify early signs of this debilitating disease, with the goal of facilitating earlier diagnosis and access to potentially life-saving treatment.”

Developed in partnership with various clinical collaborators and supported by Janssen Biotech, EchoGo Amyloidosis forms an integral part of the Ultromics’ EchoGo Platform.

Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Institute for Augmented Intelligence in Medicine Center for Deep Phenotyping and Precision Medicine director Sanjiv Shah said: “Echocardiography, while fundamental for the early detection of many heart conditions, is hindered by subjectivity and the demand for scarce expertise in the accurate identification of cardiac amyloidosis.

“AI can help detect cardiac amyloidosis early through routine ultrasound scans of the heart, which is vitally important because current treatments for cardiac amyloidosis work best when implemented early in the course of disease. AI-augmented detection of cardiac amyloidosis may be especially useful in clinical facilities lacking the time and resources needed for comprehensive assessment.”