The AIM-listed neuroscience analytics company shared findings indicating that its automated platform has the potential to replace labor-intensive manual techniques in clinical trials.
IXICO PLC (LSE:IXI, OTC:PHYOF, FRA:PYPB), a neuroscience imaging company based in London, has released data demonstrating that its AI-driven platform accurately measures brain shrinkage, often matching or surpassing human expert analysis.
The company noted that the automated functions within its IXI platform either equaled or outperformed the Boundary Shift Integral (BSI) method, which is a semi-manual technique acknowledged as the gold standard for evaluating brain volume loss via magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans.
Brain atrophy—a gradual decline in brain cells and their interconnections—is a critical indicator in developing treatments for neurodegenerative diseases, such as Huntington’s disease.
This study, carried out in collaboration with a prominent, unnamed U.S. pharmaceutical partner, tested three methods for assessing brain shrinkage.
IXICO revealed that its platform proved to be the most sensitive method for detecting volume loss in both the entire brain and the caudate, an essential structure within the brain that is considerably affected in the early stages of Huntington’s disease.
Results from the research were presented in a scientific poster at the 21st Annual Huntington’s Disease Therapeutics Conference in California this week.
Robin Wolz, IXICO’s chief scientific officer, stated that the automated approach could alleviate the operational demands of semi-manual image analysis while heightening sensitivity to changes in the brain’s structure.
He further emphasized that this technology possesses substantial potential to enhance how biomarker analysis informs future drug development initiatives in the realm of neurodegenerative diseases.
The capacity to automate brain volume measurements could significantly impact clinical trials, where manually processing a large number of MRI scans is both expensive and time-consuming.
IXICO, listed on AIM under the ticker IXI, positions itself as a leader in providing imaging analytics services to pharmaceutical companies involved in neurological drug trials.
In summary, IXICO’s advancements in AI-driven brain imaging not only demonstrate promising accuracy in measuring brain shrinkage but also present a transformative opportunity for clinical trials in neurodegenerative diseases. This technology paves the way for more efficient, sensitive methods that could redefine drug development processes in the future.
