- Valar Labs, backed by $22M, is developing Vesta, an AI tool to predict treatment outcomes and reduce patient waiting times in oncology.
- Their AI model, trained on histopathology images from over 1000 cancer patients, can analyze cellular-level tumor features that pathologists cannot measure accurately.
- Valar Labs aims to enhance pathologists' efficiency with an intelligent microscope and has developed a test to identify bladder cancer patients at high risk of BCG therapy non-response.
The biotech startup Valar Labs is tackling the challenges of applying AI in the healthcare industry, particularly in oncology.
The company aims to create a tool named Vesta that accurately predicts treatment outcomes and reduces patients' waiting times.
Backed by $22 million in funding, Valar Labs plans to expand its reach into other cancers and therapies, providing valuable insights for both patients and physicians.
Valar Labs has developed an automated visual AI model trained on histopathology images from over 1,000 cancer patients worldwide.
This model can thoroughly examine cellular-level tumor features, extracting critical image characteristics that pathologists may not be able to measure accurately.
Additionally, the company has built an intelligent microscope, enabling pathologists to precisely measure damage, immune response, and other signs of disease progression or inhibition.
Valar Labs emphasizes that its goal is to enhance the efficiency of pathologists, not to replace them.
Founded in 2021, Valar Labs has focused on developing its image model and its first clinical application for BCG therapy in bladder cancer patients.
Recently, the company announced that its test can identify individuals at three times higher risk of non-response to BCG, suggesting they should pursue alternative treatments.
Valar Labs recently closed a successful Series A funding round, securing $22 million from lead investors DCVC and Andreessen Horowitz, with participation from Pear VC.
Edited By Annette George.
