TOKYO (AFP) – AI Medical Service Inc (AIM), a medical start-up specialising in the development of diagnostic endoscopic AI, has signed a joint research agreement with Vietnam’s Institute of Gastroenterology and Hepatology (IGH) and will begin research activities on October 27.
AIM is the first Japanese company to sign a joint research agreement with IGH in the field of endoscopic AI, and IGH is the first Vietnamese institute that AIM has collaborated with thus far.
Gastric cancer is the third most common cause of cancer death in Vietnam, and early detection of gastric cancer is a major public health concern. By collaborating with IGH, AIM will explore the potential of using Japanese gastrointestinal endoscopy AI for clinical practice in Vietnam.
“I am very pleased that we have established a joint research agreement with IGH, one of the leading research institutes in Vietnam,” said AIM CEO Tomohiro Tada, adding that in the Asian region, the high number of gastric cancer patients and deaths and the detection of cancer at an early stage are serious issues that need to be addressed.
“AIM is committed to advancing our collaboration to promptly bring the culmination of Japan’s leading expertise and achievements in endoscopic medicine, embodied in endoscopic AI, to clinical settings in Vietnam,” he added.
IGH Associate Professor Dao Viet Hang commented that they are very excited to evaluate the feasibility of AI in clinical settings for gastric cancers, especially in the limited-resources setting context using AIM’s AI.
“Through this study, we hope to assess the acceptability and satisfactions of endoscopists with AI for gastric cancers diagnosis, especially from Asian doctors where the gastric cancer prevalence is high and the situation of overloading work is common,” said Associate Professor Dao.
AIM is now working toward receiving regulatory approval in Japan for its endoscopic AI product designed to identify early-stage gastric cancer. Its collaboration with IGH will facilitate joint research designed to test the application of Japanese endoscopic AI in Vietnam.
IGH, established in March 2018, is a scientific and technical institute specialising in research and training on gastroenterology and hepatology issues. IGH is also the first institute in Vietnam to be equipped with modern and advanced endoscopy and ultrasound systems.
