Brainomix, a pioneer in AI-powered imaging solutions, has presented compelling validation data for its FDA-cleared e-Lung technology at the American Thoracic Society (ATS) Conference in San Francisco. The studies, conducted in collaboration with pulmonary fibrosis therapy leader Boehringer Ingelheim, demonstrate that e-Lung can accurately and sensitively identify progressive pulmonary fibrosis.
The validation research utilized the landmark INBUILD clinical trial dataset, to which Brainomix was granted privileged access through its strategic partnership with Boehringer Ingelheim. This collaboration, announced in 2024, aims to improve care for patients with progressive pulmonary fibrosis through advanced imaging biomarkers.
Breakthrough in Pulmonary Fibrosis Detection
Pulmonary fibrosis, a subset of interstitial lung diseases (ILDs), presents significant diagnostic challenges even for specialists. The condition is progressive and life-limiting, with untreated patients facing a shortened lifespan of just three to five years from diagnosis. Despite the critical importance of early intervention, patients often endure diagnostic delays of up to two years.
Dr. Peter George, Consultant Pulmonologist at the Royal Brompton NHS Trust UK and Brainomix Medical Director, highlighted the technology's advantages: "e-Lung is a powerful tool, more sensitive to progression than visual analysis and more accurate than lung function change. This ability to accurately identify serial change can help physicians to make better treatment decisions at an earlier time point."
The studies presented at ATS demonstrate that e-Lung biomarkers can predict future disease progression independent of usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP) status on CT scans. Additionally, baseline quantitative CT measurements were shown to predict the rate of decline in forced vital capacity and other clinically relevant outcomes in patients with progressive pulmonary fibrosis.
Advanced AI Technology for Clinical Practice
Brainomix 360 e-Lung is an imaging software that automatically quantifies CT biomarkers in patients with interstitial lung disease. The technology recently received expanded FDA clearance for its next-generation capabilities, which include improved AI and machine learning algorithms along with longitudinal assessment functionality.
This longitudinal tracking enables clinicians to monitor results across multiple scan timepoints, providing critical data for treatment decisions and patient management. Dr. George emphasized that "the prognostic capabilities also allow physicians to prioritize at-risk patients for earlier follow-up, and to escalate their care in a more timely manner."
Collaborative Research Driving Innovation
Dr. Susanne Stowasser, Associate Head of Medicine Therapeutic Area Inflammation at Boehringer Ingelheim, underscored the importance of the collaboration: "As part of our purpose of Transforming Lives for Generations at Boehringer, we seek collaborations to create value for patients. The imaging data presented at ATS from our INBUILD clinical trial in patients with progressive pulmonary fibrosis are part of a collaboration with Brainomix and others to advance the development of imaging biomarkers for better prognostication and prediction of response to therapy and ultimately patient care."
The three studies presented at ATS by Prof. Anand Devaraj and Dr. Peter George from the Royal Brompton Hospital in London explore different aspects of e-Lung's capabilities:
- The association of e-Lung biomarkers with future progressive pulmonary fibrosis independent of UIP status on CT
- The predictive value of baseline quantitative CT for forced vital capacity decline and clinical outcomes in progressive pulmonary fibrosis patients
- The effect of nintedanib treatment on quantitative CT measurements in progressive pulmonary fibrosis patients
Real-World Implementation and Future Directions
Early collaborations with leading US pulmonary sites and registries have already provided real-world validation of e-Lung's ability to improve identification of patients with progressive pulmonary fibrosis. This practical application supports the technology's potential to address the critical diagnostic delays that currently impact patient outcomes.
Brainomix, which originated as a spinout from the University of Oxford, has established a growing presence with offices in the UK, Ireland, and the USA, and operations in more than 20 countries. The company's imaging solutions have been clinically adopted in hundreds of hospitals worldwide, with its first product—the Brainomix 360 stroke platform—already demonstrating success in improving treatment rates and functional independence for stroke patients.
The validation of e-Lung represents a significant advancement in the application of AI technology to pulmonary medicine, potentially transforming the diagnostic pathway for patients with progressive pulmonary fibrosis and enabling more timely intervention for this challenging condition.
