Octiocor news

In a major step forward for both AI and cardiovascular medicine, the European Heart Journal Digital Health has accepted a comprehensive review by Octiocor Ltd founders Prof. Martin Bennett and Dr. Mike Roberts on the role of artificial intelligence in intracoronary optical coherence tomography (OCT).

Intracoronary OCT is a high-resolution imaging technique that captures detailed views of the coronary arteries, enabling early diagnosis of cardiovascular disease. However, interpreting OCT data remains complex and time-consuming, making it an ideal candidate for AI innovation.

The review examines the current academic publication landscape for AI applications in OCT, spotlighting how machine learning is transforming image analysis, enhancing diagnostic accuracy, and predicting patient outcomes with increasing speed and precision. It also addresses key challenges, including data variability, model generalisability, and regulatory barriers.

“AI holds great potential to dramatically improve diagnostic accuracy in many fields, including cardiovascular imaging,” said Dr. Mike Roberts. “Our review offers a clear snapshot of current capabilities and outlines where we need to go next.”

The publication underscores Octiocor’s leadership at the intersection of AI and cardiovascular imaging—two fields poised for rapid transformation.

“This review is just the beginning,” added Prof. Martin Bennett. “We’re committed to advancing AI tools that can truly make a difference in clinical care.”

Stay tuned for more from Octiocor as they continue to push the boundaries of medical imaging through AI.

We’re excited to share that Octiocor’s groundbreaking automated OCT analysis system, AutoOCT™, has been selected for two oral presentations at EuroPCR 2025, Europe’s premier event for interventional cardiovascular medicine, including the prestigious Innovations session. EuroPCR brings together leading experts in cardiology and provides a powerful platform to showcase advancements that could shape the future of cardiovascular care.

The opportunity to present AutoOCT™ at EuroPCR is a significant milestone for Octiocor, as it underscores the growing recognition of our system’s potential to transform the field of cardiac imaging. AutoOCT™ woffers clinicians a faster, more accurate, and repeatable way to analyse OCT images, empowering them to make critical decisions with greater confidence.

We’re looking forward to the engaging discussions and feedback from thought leaders in the cardiovascular community. This recognition is not just a testament to the hard work of our team but also to the incredible promise of AutoOCT™ in improving patient care and advancing the future of interventional cardiology. Stay tuned for more exciting updates as we prepare for this incredible opportunity!

Octiocor is proud to announce that our cutting-edge automated OCT analysis system, AutoOCT™, was featured in the Innovations session at the prestigious 2024 International Transcatheter Therapeutics (TCT) meeting in Washington D.C. TCT is one of the most influential global forums for interventional cardiology, bringing together experts and innovators from across the world.

During the event, Octiocor co-founder and CMO Prof. Martin Bennett shared insights on the powerful capabilities of AutoOCT™, which will revolutionise the way clinicians analyse optical coherence tomography (OCT) images. As Martin Bennett said ‘We had a great response from both industry and potential funders that we’re currently exploring’, and Octiocor is currently exploring exciting opportunities to advance AutoOCT™ further, thanks to the invaluable connections made at TCT.

At Octiocor, we're committed to improving patient outcomes and advancing medical technology. With AutoOCT™, we’re making significant strides toward providing faster, more accurate diagnostic tools for cardiologists worldwide. Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to innovate and lead the way in cardiac imaging.

We are excited to share another significant milestone for Octiocor! Our cofounder, Professor Martin Bennett, will be presenting cutting-edge research on the automated analysis of OCT (Optical Coherence Tomography) images at the prestigious Vulnerable Plaque Meeting (VPM) in Sevilla, Spain.

About the Presentation

The presentation will highlight the Octiocor team’s innovative work on the development of advanced algorithms for the automated analysis of OCT images, particularly focusing on how these tools can detect vulnerable plaques, potentially life-threatening arterial conditions that can lead to heart attacks.

Through this research, Prof. Bennett and the team at Octiocor have developed a novel approach that enhances the accuracy, speed, and reliability of OCT image analysis. The ability to automatically detect and assess vulnerable plaques could dramatically improve early diagnosis, clinical decision-making, and ultimately patient outcomes. This advancement represents a significant leap in the application of AI and machine learning in medical imaging.

What this Means

The ability to detect vulnerable plaques earlier could revolutionise the way cardiologists and vascular specialists approach cardiovascular disease management. This presentation is particularly timely as the medical community continues to explore more effective methods for identifying at-risk patients, especially when traditional diagnostic methods can sometimes fall short.

At Octiocor, we are driven by our commitment to leveraging technology and research to tackle real-world health challenges. Presenting this work at an esteemed conference like the VPM reinforces our mission to transform healthcare through innovation, while also contributing to the broader academic and medical community.

Looking Ahead: The Future of Automated OCT Image Analysis

As this research evolves, Prof. Bennett and team will continue to lead the way in refining algorithms that integrate artificial intelligence with medical imaging. Our team is working tirelessly to bring these breakthroughs to the clinic, where they can provide tangible benefits to healthcare providers and patients alike.

The insights shared at this event will not only help shape future studies but also strengthen our collaborations with key industry partners. We are excited about the opportunities that lie ahead in medical imaging, and this presentation is a key part of that journey.

Join Us at the Vulnerable Plaque Meeting

If you’re attending the VPM in Sevilla, please message us directly at info@octiocor.com and don’t miss the opportunity to see Prof. Bennett’s presentation in person. We look forward to engaging with experts in the field and discussing how this research can drive progress in diagnosing and treating cardiovascular disease.

Stay tuned for more updates, and thank you for supporting Octiocor as we continue to push the limits of leveraging Artificial Intelligence and Computer Vision in the automated analysis of OCT images.

This video demo truly brings to life our AI technology. It shows interactively how we segment OCT intracoronary images to automatically identify artery lumen and calcium regions as well as more complex lipid regions and EEL (External Elastic Lamina) to mention a few of the capabilities. The precise segmentation enables us to extract clinically relevant endpoint measurements such as calcium and lipid arcs as well as FCT (Fibrous Cap Thickness) one of the major morphological determinants of plaques to rupture.

Watch the short video demo, it will make things much clearer.

We are thrilled to announce a major milestone for Octiocor Ltd! Our founders, Professor Martin Bennett and Dr. Michael Roberts, have recently published a groundbreaking academic paper titled Correcting common OCT artifacts enhances plaque classification and identification of higher-risk plaque features, now available on PubMed. This publication represents a significant contribution to using computational techniques to help prevent future heart attacks and underscores our commitment to advancing knowledge and innovation in cardiovascular disease.

About the Paper

The paper delves into how various Artificial Intelligence and Computer Vision techniques can be used to remove or reduce artifacts (like blood cells) in OCT images, making human and automated analysis significantly more accurate. The research methodology, findings, and implications outlined in the paper are a testament to the expertise and passion that Martin and Mike bring to Octiocor. As pioneers in the field, our founders have always believed in the power of scientific research to drive innovation, and this publication serves as a testament to their vision.

Why This Matters

For Octiocor, this academic paper is not just an achievement, it's a reflection of our dedication to using cutting edge technology to solve real-world problems. The insights and knowledge generated from this research will play a crucial role in both improving the accuracy of our AutoOCT™ algorithms and shaping our future products and services. As a company that thrives on cutting-edge technology and research-driven solutions, this publication further validates our approach and sets us apart as leaders in the industry.

A Glimpse into the Future

This publication marks just the beginning of our journey. The findings and ideas shared in this paper will directly inform our upcoming innovations and partnerships. We are excited to leverage this academic foundation as we continue to develop solutions that are designed to transform automated analysis of OCT images to help prevent future heart attacks. We are incredibly proud of the hard work and dedication that went into this research, and we can't wait to share the impact of these findings with our community, partners, and customers.

Read the Full Paper

To learn more about this groundbreaking study, we invite you to read the full paper on PubMed - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38971662/. Stay tuned for more updates, and thank you for supporting Octiocor as we continue to push the limits of leveraging Artificial Intelligence and Computer Vision in the automated analysis of OCT images.

After nearly 2 years in stealth mode with just a placeholder website, the whole team worked really hard to gain the trust of our investors (StartCodon, Cambridge Enterprise, KQ Labs and Ewan Kirk) and funders (BHF and InnovateUK) allowing us further development of our solution. This new website now unveils some of the work we have been up to, more context and news will come over the coming months, so stay tuned.

In the meantime, if you have an interest to know more in partnering or investing, please do not hesitate to reach out on info@octiocor.com.

Octiocor, a University of Cambridge spinout has reached a major milestone with the granting of US patent US11983875B2, titled “Method and Apparatus for Analysing Intracoronary Images.” This foundational patent covers cutting-edge technology that uses artificial intelligence to automate the analysis of intracoronary imaging, offering transformative potential for the diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment of coronary artery disease (CAD), the world’s leading cause of death.

The patent is available for exclusive licensing to Octiocor, giving the company a unique position in the global medtech space. The protected technology is the result of groundbreaking research by a large team of researchers, spearheaded by Octiocor co-founders Martin Bennett and Dr. Mike Roberts who are leaders in cardiovascular medicine and AI image analysis at the University of Cambridge.

The patented system represents a major leap forward in cardiovascular diagnostics. It applies a multi-stage AI pipeline to process and interpret high-resolution optical coherence tomography (OCT) images of coronary arteries. The technology can automatically identify diseased arterial tissue, detect and correct imaging artefacts, and quantify clinically relevant features such as fibrous cap thickness, lumen dimensions, and plaque composition.

This AI-driven approach dramatically reduces the time and subjectivity involved in image interpretation, enhances accuracy, and facilitates earlier and more precise diagnosis of heart disease, ultimately improving patient outcomes and supporting better decision-making for clinicians.

“This patent validates our team’s commitment to improving cardiovascular healthcare through innovation,” said Professor Martin Bennett. “We are proud to see this research translated into technology that has the potential to impact millions of lives.” Dr Mike Roberts added: “Securing this foundational patent not only protects our intellectual property but also paves the way for commercial deployment. We're excited to bring this tool closer to clinical use.”

The company is already exploring strategic partnerships and regulatory pathways to bring this AI-powered imaging solution to clinicians and hospitals around the world, so keep an eye out for more exciting updates from Octiocor.

We’re proud to announce another major milestone in our journey: Octiocor has been selected to join the prestigious KQ Labs accelerator, hosted at the renowned Francis Crick Institute in London. This opportunity places us among an elite group of data-driven health startups working at the forefront of biomedical innovation.

KQ Labs, supported by Health Data Research UK and backed by LifeArc, Innovate UK, and other key ecosystem partners, is one of the UK’s leading accelerators for early-stage companies applying data science to health. Each year, the program selects a small, highly competitive cohort of startups tackling some of the most pressing challenges in healthcare today.

Our selection is a testament to the transformative potential of our AI image analysis software for intracoronary artery imaging, which is designed to support cardiologists with real-time, high-precision diagnostics from catheter-based imaging. Being part of the KQ Labs program also means we’re joining a dynamic community of innovators who, like us, believe in the power of data and AI to transform healthcare. We’re excited to collaborate, learn, and grow alongside fellow startups working on everything from cancer diagnostics to digital therapeutics and beyond.

“Joining KQ Labs is an incredible opportunity to elevate our work and engage with some of the brightest minds in biomedical science,” said Dr Mike Roberts, CTO of Octiocor. “It’s a perfect complement to the support we’ve received from Innovate UK, and it marks a pivotal step as we move closer to commercialising our technology.”

Between the KQ Labs accelerator and the support from our Innovate UK grant, 2024 is shaping up to be a transformative year for Octiocor. We are more committed than ever to advancing precision medicine and delivering cutting-edge diagnostic tools that make a real difference in the lives of patients and the professionals who care for them.

We are thrilled to announce that Octiocor Ltd has been awarded a highly competitive grant from Innovate UK under its Advancing Precision Medicine initiative. This prestigious recognition not only highlights the groundbreaking work the company is doing at the intersection of artificial intelligence and cardiovascular healthcare but also enables the acceleration of the research & development, regulatory progress, and commercialisation of the AutoOCT™ AI image analysis software for intracoronary artery imaging.

A Leap Forward in Cardiovascular Diagnostics Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of mortality globally. Timely and accurate diagnosis is critical to improving patient outcomes. Our proprietary AI software harnesses advanced machine learning and computer vision to analyse intracoronary images with exceptional speed and precision, supporting clinicians in detecting and assessing arterial plaque, stenosis, and other high-risk conditions more effectively. The Innovate UK grant will directly support the next phase of our research and development efforts, which includes:

-Enhancing algorithm accuracy through expanded datasets and continual learning models.

-Scaling clinical validation in collaboration with leading hospitals and research institutions.

-Building robust regulatory and commercial frameworks to bring our solution to market in the UK and internationally.

A Vision for Precision Medicine This funding reflects our commitment to shaping the future of precision medicine where diagnostics are more tailored, intervention is timely, and treatment is data-driven. Our AI solution is designed to integrate into existing catheter lab workflows, where it will deliver real-time analysis that empowers cardiologists to make faster, more informed decisions. “Innovate UK’s support is a game-changer,” said Prof Martin Bennett, CMO and co-founder of Octiocor. “It not only validates the impact of our technology but also propels us closer to our goal of transforming intracoronary diagnostics and improving patient care worldwide.”

Driving Innovation Through Collaboration We extend our thanks to Innovate UK for this opportunity and look forward to deepening our collaborations with NHS partners, academic researchers, and medtech industry leaders. Together, we’re advancing the frontier of cardiovascular AI and bringing cutting-edge technology from the lab to the clinic.