Barcelona, September 2024 – The Catalan startup Sycai Medical, dedicated to developing software as a medical device, has achieved a significant milestone in its mission to improve early diagnosis of abdominal cancer: obtaining CE marking for its first product, an innovative software that non-invasively detects pancreatic lesions through medical imaging. This certification, achieved under the new Medical Devices Regulation (MDR), will allow Sycai to market its solution across the European Union.
Obtaining the CE marking positions Sycai Medical as a leader in applying artificial intelligence (AI) to medical diagnostics. The software is designed to assist radiologists in identifying pancreatic lesions while they are still pre-cancerous, facilitating early, non-invasive detection that enhances both the accuracy and efficiency of users. With this technology, hospitals and clinics can optimize the detection and monitoring of these lesions, which may have a direct impact on patient health by enabling early treatment.
Sycai Medical has already been validated in several renowned centers both nationally and internationally, such as Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau in Barcelona, Hospital de Mataró, and Uniklinikum Erlangen, in Germany, all of which are pioneering the application of AI in medical imaging. Additionally, the startup is in the process of validation at other hospitals across Europe and the United States.
Josep Munuera, head of the Diagnostic Imaging Department at Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, highlights: "Sycai improves diagnostic accuracy by streamlining and accelerating image reading, as well as enabling the quantification and long-term monitoring of pancreatic lesions".
Founded in August 2020 by Sara Toledano (CEO), Júlia Rodríguez-Comas (CSO), and Javier García (COO), Sycai Medical was created with the goal of applying image interpretation technologies to medical diagnostics. Their first development, focused on the detection and prognosis of COVID-19, allowed them to establish key relationships with hospitals and specialists. This initial success was the springboard that allowed them to evolve their technology towards the diagnosis of abdominal lesions, consolidating their focus on early diagnosis and other critical pathologies.
In the words of Sara Toledano, "Obtaining the CE mark is a milestone in the progress of the project that allows us to execute the first sales agreements and begin to see the impact on the day-to-day life of radiologists and patients".
The company has raised more than €2.5 million, two-thirds of which came from competitive public funds, awards, and grants, with the rest obtained during their first funding round in 2022, supported by Ship2B Ventures, Athos Capital, BStartup, and several business angels. Sycai is currently closing its second funding round, aimed at commercializing its first product, expanding its activities in the United States, and developing new medical solutions.
With this achievement, Sycai Medical reaffirms its commitment to revolutionizing the early diagnosis of abdominal cancer, improving the lives of thousands of patients worldwide.
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