AI-Powered Ultrasound Diagnostics Receive Major Funding Boost for Heart Failure Detection

Ultromics, a UK-based medical technology company, has secured $55 million in Series C funding to expand its artificial intelligence (AI) powered ultrasound diagnostics for hidden cardiac conditions. The investment comes at a crucial time as health systems seek innovative solutions to combat the growing heart failure crisis.

EchoGo Platform Enhances Early Detection of Heart Conditions

Ultromics' EchoGo platform has demonstrated significant improvements in detecting heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), a condition notoriously difficult to diagnose. The company reports that its software has analyzed over 430,000 echocardiograms to date, improving HFpEF detection by 73% compared to standard clinical risk scores.

"The reality is, hospitals already have the data, they just haven't had the tools to extract the more subtle diagnostic signals from it," said Ross Upton, Ph.D., founder and CEO of Ultromics. "By analyzing routine echocardiograms with AI, we're helping clinicians identify high-risk patients earlier, enabling intervention before disease progresses."

Expanding Diagnostic Capabilities for Cardiac Amyloidosis

In addition to HFpEF detection, Ultromics is developing a screening tool for cardiac amyloidosis, a condition where amyloid proteins accumulate in heart muscle. This AI program, which received FDA breakthrough designation, was recently granted regulatory clearance.

A study published in the European Heart Journal, involving over 2,600 participants, demonstrated that Ultromics' EchoGo Amyloidosis could achieve 85% sensitivity and 93% specificity across major cardiac amyloidosis subtypes. Importantly, the tool can distinguish amyloidosis from similar conditions such as hypertensive heart disease, HFpEF, and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Pharmaceutical Industry Collaboration and Investment Details

The funding round was co-led by L&G, Allegis Capital, and Lightrock, with participation from Oxford Science Enterprises, GV, Blue Venture Fund, and the University of Oxford. Notable U.S. health systems, including UChicago Medicine's venture arm UCM Ventures and UPMC Enterprises, also contributed to the investment.

Ultromics has garnered support from pharmaceutical companies developing therapies for transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM). Johnson & Johnson's Janssen Biotech aided in the development of EchoGo Amyloidosis, while Pfizer assisted with performance testing and validation prior to regulatory submission.

Victor Westerlind, managing director at Allegis Capital, emphasized the potential impact of Ultromics' technology: "Their platform brings AI and cardiology together in a way that makes it easier for physicians to identify high-risk patients earlier. When paired with the latest treatment advances, it's a diagnostic win that will help save lives."