SOPHiA GENETICS has completed a $77M (€67M) funding round that will expand the use of its artificial intelligence technology for genomics into hospitals across the world.
The funding will mainly go towards the recruitment of new employees. The goal is to increase the number of hospitals using SOPHiA’s AI technology, particularly in the US, where the Swiss company opened new offices last September.
Since its foundation in 2011, SOPHiA has raised a total of €122M. As of today, its AI technology has been used to analyze the genomic data of over 300,000 patients in over 850 hospitals across the world.
The company has developed a platform for the analysis of complex genomic data using AI. The technology can improve the diagnosis of patients with cancer or genetic disorders, and help select the best treatment for each individual case. Last year, SOPHiA incorporated into its oncology technology the analysis of images taken from patient samples to predict how a tumor will evolve over time.
Data-driven medicine has potential to significantly improve treatment outcomes and reduce the expenses of hospitals. SOPHiA GENETICS has a strong focus on democratizing access to this technology, which could make a big difference for hospitals in regions with fewer resources, such as Africa, Latin America or Eastern Europe, where SOPHiA has also taken its technology.
The analysis of genomic data using AI has been getting a lot of traction in the last few years, especially in oncology and rare genetic diseases, two areas that could greatly benefit from the technology. Recently, AI has also been expanding to other areas of high interest such as Alzheimer’s and the human microbiome.
Images via Shutterstock; SOPHiA GENETICS