Start-up raises US$1.7m to tackle breast cancer in women with dense tissue

The US health tech company DeepLook Medical has secured US$1.7m in funding to “revolutionise” cancer detection in dense breasts.

DeepLook Medical has developed the first AI tool to tackle breast cancer in women with dense tissue. The technology is based on a shape recognition algorithm that aims to improve early detection and assist clinicians in creating treatment plans.

The software overlays onto existing imaging screens, providing a more efficient workflow enhancement and helping radiologists navigate dense breast tissue. 

It has recently entered the commercial market through partnerships with four major channel partners, including Barco, Blackford, Tempus and Radical Imaging.

Nearly half of women over the age of 40 are found to have dense breast tissue which makes them more likely to get breast cancer.

However, because both dense breast tissue and cancer show up as white in a mammogram, as many as 50 per cent of cancers in these women are missed on mammograms.

“Deep Look Medical’s technology addresses a significant unmet need in medical imaging, enabling rapid and accurate lesion segmentation, measurement, and visualisation” said Dirk Feyants, executive vice president of diagnostic imaging at Barco.

“Combined with our displays’ image quality, this tool offers a new layer of confidence to breast radiologists. We are proud to lead the way with DeepLook Medical in offering breast radiologists the essential tools they require to enhance their patients’ wellbeing.”

Marissa Fayer, CEO of DeepLook Medical, said: “Our innovative AI technology is a game-changer in the field, offering a streamlined solution for early detection across multiple imaging modalities.

“We are thrilled to announce our latest funding which will help us further develop technologies that are critical in helping detect cancer, particularly in dense breast tissue.”

Connecticut Innovations, Tidal River, Angel Investor Forum (AIF), OKG Capital, Werth Ventures and various private investors participated in this round.  

The funds will be directed towards key areas, including talent acquisition and the advancement of products.

The allocation is also hoped to facilitate the expansion of partnerships, strengthen support for additional clinical research and publications and extend global IP and regulatory protections and clearances.