• The female-founded iSono Health is set to transform breast imaging with a first-of-its-kind, compact automated whole breast ultrasound system.
• It features a unique wearable accessory and self-generated, intelligent software for automated image acquisition and analysis.
Image: COURTESY
UAE’s Abdul Latif Jameel Health has partnered with iSono Health, a medical tech company in San Francisco to bring the world’s first AI-driven portable 3D breast ultrasound scanner.
This partnership will see Abdul Latif Jameel Health become the exclusive distributor of iSono Health’s ATUSA scanner in the global south.
It will be made available to millions of women in an initial 31 countries covering the Middle East and North Africa, Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia.
These countries include Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Malaysia, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, South Africa, and Thailand.
This new distribution agreement was announced at the Arab Health 2023 healthcare event.
Their vision is to transform breast care with automated imaging and artificial intelligence (AI).
The patented and FDA-cleared ATUSA system is a compact ultrasound scanner that captures 3D images through automated scanning of the whole breast in two minutes, independent of operator expertise.
The female-founded iSono Health is set to transform breast imaging with a first-of-its-kind, compact automated whole breast ultrasound system.
It features a unique wearable accessory and self-generated, intelligent software for automated image acquisition and analysis.
The device connects to a laptop or tablet for real-time image acquisition and 3D visualization.
The data is then transferred to a secure cloud for storage.
The ATUSA system is designed from the ground up to seamlessly integrate with machine learning models that will give physicians a comprehensive set of tools for decision-making and patient management.
iSono Health founder and CEO Maryam Ziaei said that the partnership is an important step forward in making the ATUSA scanner accessible to millions more women across the world.
“Working with Abdul Latif Jameel Health will empower so many women to access the healthcare they need to improve patient experiences and bring peace of mind,” Ziaei said.
She also said that they have been able to develop a scanner that takes two minutes to scan and makes breast imaging painless and convenient.
“We are very much looking forward to bringing this technology to the region and making a lasting, sustainable impact,” she added.
According to WHO, in 2020, there were 2.3 million women diagnosed with breast cancer and 685,000 deaths globally.
As of the end of 2020, there were 7.8 million women alive who were diagnosed with breast cancer in the past five years, making it the world’s most prevalent cancer.
According to CDC, one in every eight women will get breast cancer during their lifetime.
“Access to personalized and efficient breast imaging is critical in every step of the patient's journey from screening to detection to treatment, surgery, and monitoring,” Ziaei said.
The ATUSA system is also designed to offer enhanced efficiency, consistent accuracy, and a comfortable patient experience.
This makes 3D breast ultrasound imaging accessible to patients and physicians at points of care, around the world.
Abdul Latif Jameel Health CEO Akram Bouchenaki said that the ATUSA scanner is an innovative piece of technology that will very soon become one of the most valuable products used by physicians for healthcare systems.
“This is an important moment for those in medical imaging but more importantly for women’s health across the global south,” he said.
He added that Abdul Latif Jameel is delivering on its promise of offering an integrated ‘one-stop’ managed service to medical devices, pharmaceutical products, and diagnostic and therapeutics manufacturers to afford them multi-market access more rapidly.
“We will distribute their products to the populations that can most benefit from them sooner, meeting unmet medical needs, driving healthcare inclusivity, and in parallel, opening the unrealized commercial potential of these markets.”
Last year, Abdul Latif Jameel Health announced the creation of its new international commercial ecosystem, helping to accelerate access to modern medical care and drive health inclusivity.
Since its launch in 2020, Abdul Latif Jameel Health has developed strong relationships with numerous health partners utilizing innovation and industry-disruptive approaches to deliver healthcare in more efficient ways.
These include Butterfly Network, Cyberdyne, EQRx, Evelo Biosciences, Holoeyes Inc, Melody International, and now, iSono Health.
Abdul Latif Jameel Health was created as a response to the ongoing global disparity in access to modern medical care, focusing on accelerating healthcare inclusion across the global south.
Reflecting the Jameel family’s long-established commitment to innovating for a better future, Abdul Latif Jameel Health works in the commercial environment to address tangible real-world needs today, for a better tomorrow.
It works with partners from around the world to open and grow new markets for the distribution of existing solutions and investing in the future of MedTech.