Optellum Announces Agreement with Bristol Myers Squibb to Leverage AI to Boost Early Lung Cancer Diagnosis

Rhea-AI Summary

Optellum has partnered with Bristol Myers Squibb (NYSE: BMY) to enhance early lung cancer diagnosis using artificial intelligence. The collaboration focuses on implementing Optellum's Virtual Nodule Clinic (VNC), the first FDA-cleared AI-powered decision support tool for early-stage lung cancer.

The platform combines Patient Discovery AI and a clinically validated Lung Cancer Prediction score to analyze CT scans and identify at-risk patients. With 93 million CT scans conducted annually in the USA, the technology enables 'opportunistic screening' through automated AI-driven analysis.

Under the agreement, Optellum will deploy its VNC platform across multiple U.S. healthcare systems to assess real-world impact and generate evidence for AI implementation best practices. The initiative aims to address the challenge of late-stage lung cancer diagnosis, which currently limits treatment options and survival rates.

Positive

• First FDA-cleared and CMS-reimbursed AI tool for early lung cancer diagnosis
• Access to 93 million annual CT scans for AI analysis and early detection
• Partnership enables wider implementation across U.S. healthcare systems

Negative

• 30-60% recurrence rate in Stage I-II NSCLC patients post-surgery
• Current screening programs fail to reach majority of lung cancer patients

Rapidly growing lung health company aims to redefine early diagnosis and precision lung cancer care using multi-modal artificial intelligence (AI).

OXFORD, United Kingdom and HOUSTON, April 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Optellum, a global leader in AI-driven clinical decision support for early lung cancer diagnosis, has entered an agreement with Bristol Myers Squibb (NYSE: BMY), to leverage AI in early diagnosis and precision lung cancer care. Under the agreement, Optellum will apply its AI-powered imaging & clinical decision support platform to evaluate the real-world impact on patient outcomes.

Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide, often going undetected until it reaches an advanced stage. Late-stage diagnosis limits treatment options and reduces survival rates. While screening programs exist, they frequently fail to reach the majority of lung cancer patients due to low enrollment rates and patients not meeting eligibility criteria. However, there are 93 million Computed Tomography (CT) scans already conducted annually in the USA for other reasons, such as emergency room scans. Many pre-symptomatic cancers can be identified earlier by automated AI-driven real-time analysis or "opportunistic screening" of those scans.

Optellum's Virtual Nodule Clinic (VNC) is the first FDA-cleared AI-powered decision support tool for early-stage lung cancer, reimbursed by CMS and implemented by leading health systems. The platform integrates Patient Discovery AI, which utilizes Natural Language Processing to identify at-risk individuals from scan reports across healthcare systems, and a clinically validated Lung Cancer Prediction (LCP) score based on imaging AI and radiomics. This combination of AI tools enables clinicians to identify and prioritize at-risk patients for follow-up by multidisciplinary thoracic oncology teams, potentially leading to earlier intervention and improved patient outcomes.

Optellum and Bristol Myers Squibb are building on an existing research collaboration [1]. As part of this new agreement, Optellum is deploying its VNC platform at multiple healthcare systems across the United States in an effort to democratize access to life-saving early diagnosis. These deployments will assess the platform's real-world impact before and after implementation. The aim is to generate and promote evidence as well as AI implementation best practices. This will help accelerate deployment of such AI-optimized lung cancer care pathways.

"Early diagnosis is critical in improving survival rates for lung cancer patients. However, 30% to 60% of Stage I-II NSCLC patients still experience recurrence after surgery. The agreement between Optellum and Bristol Myers Squibb presents a significant opportunity to diagnose lung cancer earlier and improve thoracic care pathways so that the right patients can benefit from available modern treatment" – David Carbone, MD, PhD, Professor of Internal Medicine, Director of the James Thoracic Oncology Center at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center.

"The agreement with Bristol Myers Squibb is a key step that helps Optellum accelerate AI-powered early diagnosis, from top academic medical centers to community centers caring for underserved patient populations who can benefit the most," commented Václav Potěšil, PhD, Optellum Founder and Chief Business Officer. "Our vision is to help drive opportunistic screening across lung cancer and other diseases – helping care teams efficiently find the right candidates for the right treatment, while augmenting their expertise so that every patient can benefit from top quality care."

[1] Nathan R Hill, Travis L Dotson, Sarah E Maus, Christina R Bellinger, Annika Rings, Lyndsey C Pickup, Noah Waterfield Price, Václav Potěšil, John R Penrod, Kevin Pollock, David P Carbone and Jasleen Pannu.  "1212 Utilization of artificial intelligence support for early lung cancer diagnosis in a lung nodule program: a retrospective cohort study." Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (2024)

About Optellum
Optellum is a commercial-stage lung health company providing artificial intelligence decision-support software that assists physicians in the early diagnosis of their patients. The company was founded so that every lung disease patient is diagnosed and optimally treated at the earliest possible stage when the probability of better health outcomes is highest. The Oxford-based MedTech company has been the first and only to achieve FDA 510(k) clearance for the application of AI decision-support software in lung cancer diagnosis and is reimbursable under CMS New Technology APC. Virtual Nodule Clinic has been implemented in healthcare systems across the USA and Europe. Optellum has headquarters at the Oxford Centre for Innovation in Oxford, UK, and a US office at the Texas Medical Center in Houston, USA. For more information, visit optellum.com or follow on LinkedIn.

Media Contact

James Hounsell, james.hounsell@evolene.co.uk

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SOURCE Optellum

FAQ

What is the main purpose of the Optellum and BMY partnership for lung cancer diagnosis?

The partnership aims to leverage AI for early lung cancer diagnosis through Optellum's Virtual Nodule Clinic platform, evaluating real-world patient outcomes across multiple U.S. healthcare systems.

How many CT scans are performed annually in the USA that could benefit from BMY's AI screening initiative?

93 million CT scans are conducted annually in the USA for various reasons, providing opportunities for AI-driven early cancer detection.

What is the current recurrence rate for Stage I-II NSCLC patients after surgery?

30% to 60% of Stage I-II NSCLC patients experience recurrence after surgery, highlighting the need for improved early diagnosis and treatment.

What regulatory approvals has Optellum's Virtual Nodule Clinic received for BMY's implementation?

The Virtual Nodule Clinic is FDA-cleared as an AI-powered decision support tool for early-stage lung cancer and is reimbursed by CMS.