https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/spotlight-artrya-marches-to-its-own-beat/id1453637211?i=1000515122278

In this week’s episode, we chat to WA-based digital health company Artrya’s Co-Founders - CEO John Konstantopoulos and Chairman John Barrington AM - about developing their heart disease detection application, which uses radiology and Artificial Intelligence to more accurately identify patients at risk of Coronary Artery Disease without invasive surgery in a matter of minutes. 

The ‘software as a service’ solution will also guide cardiologists to deliver more effective treatment. 

Artrya received funding through MTPConnect’s BioMedTech Horizons program. 

After starting up two years ago, Artrya have already received TGA registration and are poised to launch pilot programs in WA medical practices. 

In this episode they reveal more about their mission to save lives and take their solution around the globe.

MTPConnect talks to Artrya. In this week’s episode, we chat to WA-based digital health company Artrya’s Co-Founders.

Artrya Marches To Its Own Beat - MTPConnect Podcast 

Artrya to receive $1 million in Federal Government funding. 

Research paper selected as finalist in major global conference. 

Successful collaboration with University of Western Australia (UWA) and Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research. 

Artrya, a developer of AI technology that more accurately identifies patients at risk of heart disease, has achieved key funding and research milestones as it drives towards product commercialisation. 

The Federal Government this month awarded Artrya $1 million in funding through round three of the BioMedTech Horizons Program. Delivered by MTPConnect, the program supports innovative, collaborative health technologies that address unmet clinical needs. 

Artrya was one of 10 companies chosen from 169 applicants nationally in this funding round. The grant will be used partly to employ PhD students from UWA in computer science and medicine, to further develop the technology. 

“Artrya is changing how heart disease is diagnosed,” says co-founder and Executive Chairman John Barrington, AM. “Our vision is to harness the power of AI to treat more people who are susceptible to heart disease, and save lives.” 

Barrington adds: “The funding will quicken Artrya’s push towards commercialisation as it refines its product, clinically validates the solution, attracts further equity and builds strong foundations for larger trials and regulatory approval. “ 

The commercialisation grant follows a successful private capital raising earlier this year. Artrya raised $2.8 million from sophisticated investors after originally seeking $2 million. 

“Artrya is well placed to get its technology to market,” says Barrington. “Later this year, we will target regulatory approval, launch our beta product and promote a $10-$15 million Series A capital raising to support international expansion. Our technology is a world-first, Australian-made discovery through university and industry collaboration.” 

Barrington says Artrya’s success reinforces WA’s potential to foster a thriving medtech ecosystem. “WA is producing outstanding medtech start-ups, has world-class universities and research institutions, and entrepreneurship is in the State’s DNA. The foundations are there to build industries of tomorrow in WA and futureproof our economy.” 

Launched in 2018, Artrya is collaborating with UWA and the Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research. Artrya Chief Medical Officer, Professor Girish Dwivedi, is the inaugural Wesfarmers Chair in Cardiology at UWA (Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research). 

Dwivedi is an internationally renowned researcher in non-invasive cardiac imaging techniques. Dwivedi is an expert in vulnerable plaques that are prone to rupture and cause heart attacks. 

Using AI algorithms, Artrya is developing a cost-effective, point-of-care solution to identify high-risk plaques and the burden of restricted blood flows (ischemia). 

Artrya’s first study on its results has attracted international attention. The prominent Society of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography (SCCT) has accepted Artrya’s research paper, nominating it as a finalist for the top paper of SCCT’s annual conference this year. 

Artrya’s work is timely. Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) is the world’s leading cause of death. An estimated 26 million people worldwide have CT Coronary Angiography (CTCA) scans annually to record pictures of their heart. Artrya’s technology overcomes several challenges in existing CAD tests. Most have limited accuracy and provide no information about coronary plaque characteristics. Other tests cannot assess ischemia or are costly and time-consuming, restricting their use. 

Artrya co-founder and CEO John Konstantopoulos says the technology will benefit patients, clinicians and the community. “We believe our novel, unique solution can more accurately identify and predict patients who are vulnerable to heart disease. This information can be used to prevent acute coronary events and improve patient quality of life.” 

Konstantopoulos says Artrya technology provides an automated diagnosis in less than 2 minutes, enabling clinicians to see more patients. “There is a shortage of cardiologists and radiologists worldwide. Left undiagnosed, patients remain at risk, incorrect treatment regimes are administered and cost burdens on health systems escalate. With ageing populations and the demand for medical services rising globally, significant delays in reporting can leave patients in critical situations.” 

The consistent, high accuracy of the technology is another benefit. “Artrya reduces imaging costs and the risk of false diagnosis,” says Konstantopoulos. “By combining latest advances in AI, image processing, data analysis and CAD research, everything is cheaper, faster and more accurate. That is good for the healthcare system and communities.” 

Konstantopoulos believes AI is the future of heart-disease diagnosis. “Early feedback from clinicians on Artrya’s technology is encouraging. Clinicians see the power of AI to improve the efficiency and accuracy of heart scans. Most of all, they see the potential to treat more patients and reduce the incidence of heart attacks.”

Emerging WA medtech star awarded Federal Government grant for commercialisation of artificial-intelligence (AI) technology that fights heart disease.

Artrya Secures Funding For World-First Healthcare Technology

Original post: https://www.mtpconnect.org.au/Article?Action=View&Article_id=118

The medtech start-up has developed a way to more accurately analyse CT coronary angiograms using deep learning algorithms and artificial intelligence. Their AI solution reviews the hundreds of scanned images, creates a 3D model and then looks for disease. This increases the accuracy of identifying patients at risk of Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) and guides clinicians in delivering more effective treatment.

Currently, specialists use an invasive coronary angiogram to detect arterial abnormalities but the Artrya solution is non-invasive.

In November 2020, Artrya received TGA regulatory approval to launch the product in the Australian market.

Artrya is an emerging early-stage WA medtech start-up that was recently awarded $1 million funding in Round 3 of MTPConnect’s 

, an initiative of the Medical Research Future Fund.

Founded in 2018, Artrya is a collaboration with The University of Western Australia and the Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, based in Perth.

, Artyra CEO John Konstantopoulos explained their solution can rapidly report heart disease from CT scans, saving precious time rather than waiting for the results of angiograms.

"Our novel, non-invasive solution can more accurately identify and predict patients who are vulnerable to heart disease and reduce the incidence of heart attacks," Mr Konstantopoulos explains.

"This information can be used to prevent acute coronary events and improve patient quality of life.

"By combining latest advances in AI, image processing, data analysis and CAD research, everything is faster, more accurate and less costly.

"That is good for the healthcare system and communities."

According to the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, cardiovascular diseases like CAD are the leading cause of death worldwide, with one Australian dying every 12 minutes[1]. The disease is also a significant economic burden on global healthcare systems and communities. It is estimated that Australia is spending $12 billion in healthcare annually[2].

Artrya's Chief Medical Officer, Professor Girish Dwivedi, is the inaugural Wesfarmers Chair in Cardiology at the Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research and consultant cardiologist at Fiona Stanley Hospital.

Professor Dwivedi is an internationally renowned researcher in non-invasive cardiac imaging techniques and High-Risk Plaques that cause heart attacks.

"Current clinical practice is focused on the narrowing of the heart's arteries, but most heart attacks occur in patients with less than 50-per-cent obstruction," says Prof Dwivedi.

"The real cause of death comes from non-obstructive High-Risk Plaque, which is very time consuming for humans to record. Our AI system can accurately detect this type of plaque, direct the physician to its location and generate a written report.

"Artrya's system would allow physicians to treat patients before a heart attack occurs, saving lives."

Artrya Executive Chairman John Barrington AM says Western Australia is positioned well in developing new healthcare innovations.

"WA is producing outstanding medtech start-ups, has world-class universities and research institutions, and entrepreneurship is in the State's DNA," Mr Barrington adds.

"The foundations are there to build industries of tomorrow in WA and future-proof our economy.

"Our leadership team has focused on creating and enhancing networks across the health, medical, research and investor communities in the markets of WA, SA, VIC, NSW and Queensland."

The company has had early success attracting private capital, raising around $4 million to date.

Their research has been recognised internationally with Artrya's paper on machine learning being selected as runner-up at the prestigious 

Society of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography 2020 Conference

In October 2020, Artrya joined WA medtech start-up Noisy Guts as part of the 21 strong delegation at the 

 for the international 2020 Virtual MedTech Conference. The Australian Medtech Pavilion offered the WA companies an opportunity to network with global players at the world's biggest medtech conference.

MTPConnect WA Life Sciences Innovation Hub

 supports start-ups like Artrya by flagging funding opportunities in the sector, sharing best practice capabilities and connections through delivering webinars and events, and providing opportunities for commercialisation development through roundtables and workshops.

Artrya was one of 21 medical research projects across Australia selected for funding in Round 3 of the 

[1] Heart Disease: learn about the symptoms, causes, treatments and possible preventions. Retrieved on 8 October 2020 

https://www.victorchang.edu.au/heartdisease

[2] Heart Disease: learn about the symptoms, causes, treatments and possible preventions. Retrieved on 8 October 2020 

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is changing the face of healthcare, and Artrya wants to redefine how the risk of heart disease is detected in patients.

Artrya Is On The Pulse

A local player is Artrya, a start-up targeting heart disease. 

Led by co-founders John Barrington and John Konstantopoulos, managing director and executive director, respectively, the Artrya team is using AI to more accurately identify patients at risk of coronary artery disease. 

“John worked closely with IBM’s Watson health team globally, and my interest in technology has led me to believe that AI is fundamental to the future,” 

Mr Barrington said. “It’s that interest which has inspired us to find out how we can harness AI rapidly and develop technology for the good of humanity.” 

The pair met four years ago and spent 18 months researching the role ‘vulnerable plaque’ plays in heart disease. 

Vulnerable plaque causes unstable blockages in blood vessel walls. Artrya launched in May 2019 and, perhaps surprisingly in this competitive space, its fundraising efforts were oversubscribed each time they went to the market. 

In May, the company raised $15 million led by Bell Potter. Artrya’s team now includes Girish Dwivedi, a world-leading expert in vulnerable plaque and practising cardiologist, who was brought to WA by the Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research. 

“Girish then introduced us to Abdul Ihdayhid, a cardiologist and leading researcher in coronary blood flow,” Mr Barrington told Business News. 

It was a perfect storm, he said, of brilliant minds brought together to keep the flywheel spinning. Artrya co-founder Mr Konstantopoulos said the statistics around heart disease were alarming.

“Sixty-four per cent of women and 50 per cent of men who die of heart attacks have no prior warning, and two thirds of those who die don’t exhibit significant narrowing of the arteries but do have build-up of vulnerable plaque,” he said. 

Artrya has created a diagnostic solution that can identify within minutes if vulnerable plaque is present, as well as assessing blood flow, without the need to insert a wire up through the thigh and into the heart. 

“The clinician can refer them to have a CT coronary angiogram, and from there, our AI ‘drives’ through each of the arteries, assessing faults and other problems,” Mr Konstantopoulos said. 

The work could contribute to saving lives in clinics globally. “Heart disease claims 18 million lives a year; it’s the biggest cause of death in the world,” Mr Barrington said. 

“That’s where we can contribute to society and create a high growth company in Perth, generating returns for our investors. Wherever the internet is available, you can diagnose using our technology.” 

Artrya is currently undergoing trials with Wembley based Envision Medical Imaging and is planning national pilots followed by a commercial rollout. 

“We’ve successfully concluded our third capital raising,” Mr Barrington said. 

“We intended to raise $10 million, and we had more than $30 million in applications; we closed at $15 million. 

“This technology is exponential; it’s accelerating at an increasing pace over time. 

“It’s hard to predict where it’ll go over the next 10 years, but the capability of AI will dramatically develop beyond our imagination.”

Several exciting AI innovations are emerging from WA, and the world is watching.

Researchers Eye Health Benefit From AI

https://www.uwa.edu.au/news/Article/2021/May/Artificial-intelligence-to-predict-heart-disease

Artificial Intelligence To Predict Heart Disease

https://www.afr.com/technology/perth-company-raises-15m-for-ai-software-to-transform-cardiac-imaging-20210520-p57tnu

A Perth-based medical technology company that tackles the world’s biggest killer, heart disease, with artificial intelligence-powered imaging software has raised $15 million from institutional investors.

Artrya, launched in May 2019 by former management consultant John Barrington and former IBM global industry leader John Konstantopoulos, says its software is a more accurate and less invasive way to detect signs of heart disease than other methods. It has raised the capital to support its commercialisation of the technology.

The $15 million has come from investors,including Alex Waislitz’s Thorney, Watermark Funds Management, Washington H. Soul Pattinson, Regal Funds Management and SG Hiscock.

Artrya’s technology, called Salix, analyses 

 in minutes and produces a 3D image and report that provides a more accurate detection of coronary artery disease, including the presence of vulnerable plaque, which is challenging to identify with existing technology.

It can also show the movement of blood through the heart, called a fractional flow reserve. However, it still needs to receive approval from the Therapeutic Goods Administration for this function. Traditionally fractional flow reserve is measured via coronary angiogram – a minimally invasive procedure in which contrast dye and x-ray imaging is used to detect blockages in the arteries.

Artrya raises $15m for AI software to transform cardiac imaging

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