[AI Revolution](127) Predicting Cardiovascular Disease in 30 Seconds with Retinal Analysis... Mediwhale

AI-Based Retinal Analysis and Diagnostic Prediction Technology
Prediction of Various Diseases Including Cardiovascular, Kidney, and Eye Disorders

Medical AI startup Mediwhale is gaining attention in the medical field with AI technology that enables early diagnosis and prediction of the risk of various diseases, including cardiovascular, kidney, and ophthalmic disorders. This technology analyzes retinal images using artificial intelligence (AI) to diagnose diseases.

Geunyoung Lee, Chief Product Officer (CPO) of Mediwhale, recently told Asia Economy, "The method of analyzing retinal images is simple yet highly accurate, allowing early detection of cardiovascular and various other diseases."

Mediwhale's product line under the brand name ‘Dr. Noon’ incorporates AI-based diagnostic and predictive technology using the retina. The core technology analyzes retinal images to predict the risk of cardiovascular, kidney, ocular diseases, and aging-related health issues. When patients undergo an eye examination using a fundus camera (which views the inside of the eye through the pupil) at a hospital, they can receive AI interpretation results within 30 seconds. Currently, about 150 advanced general hospitals, screening centers, and private clinics, including departments of internal medicine, ophthalmology, and family medicine, are using Dr. Noon.

Lee Geun-young, Chief Product Officer (CPO) of Mediwhale, is being interviewed by Asia Economy at the office in Nonhyeon-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. Photo by Jo Yong-jun

One reason Mediwhale was able to successfully implement this diagnostic technology is Korea’s unique healthcare system. Mediwhale has collected over 2 million retinal data sets, made possible because citizens regularly undergo health checkups. The CPO said, "Because all citizens in Korea receive health screenings, large-scale data collection was possible," adding, "Based on this data, we were able to develop predictive models for various diseases such as cardiovascular and kidney diseases."

One of Mediwhale’s flagship products, ‘Dr. Noon CVD,’ is AI software that analyzes retinal images to predict the future risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Its accuracy rivals that of cardiac CT scans using coronary artery calcium scores, a conventional method for predicting cardiovascular disease. Moreover, it enables rapid prediction with simple retinal imaging without radiation exposure. The CPO emphasized, "Dr. Noon CVD can predict cardiovascular disease risk without exposing patients to radiation, replacing the existing complex and burdensome testing methods," and added, "It is especially designed for primary care settings, such as local clinics, significantly improving medical accessibility."

Another key product, ‘Dr. Noon CKD,’ is AI software that predicts the risk of chronic kidney disease (CKD). While blood and urine tests are generally used to predict CKD, Dr. Noon CKD shows high accuracy with just simple retinal imaging. It has the advantage of identifying risk early even in asymptomatic patients.

Dr. Noon Fundus is AI software that diagnoses glaucoma, cataracts, and retinal diseases, and is one of Mediwhale’s most notable diagnostic solutions. This software boasts high accuracy with a sensitivity (the probability that a truly positive person is correctly identified as positive) of 92% and specificity (the probability that a truly negative person is correctly identified as negative) of 95%, enabling early diagnosis of various ophthalmic diseases with simple retinal imaging. It is simpler and faster than conventional ophthalmic diagnostic methods, reducing the burden on both patients and doctors.

These products received medical device approval in Korea in August 2022 and have been used on patients at clinics, screening centers, and large hospitals as non-reimbursed services since last year.

Mediwhale’s diagnostic technologies have been published in numerous globally prestigious academic journals. Among them, papers published in ‘Lancet Digital Health’ and the ‘European Heart Journal’ have further enhanced the credibility of Mediwhale’s AI diagnostic technology.

Last year, Mediwhale secured a total of 11.4 billion KRW through Series B funding. Based on this, the company plans to strengthen collaborations with domestic and international hospitals, focus more on research and development (R&D), and actively pursue global market entry. Mediwhale aims to enter the U.S. market, which has the largest healthcare market size, next year and is preparing for FDA approval.

Mediwhale’s ultimate goal is to bridge healthcare disparities through AI technology and make preventive treatment more affordable and accessible. The CPO stated, "Diagnosing and managing the current condition through AI is key to disease prevention," and added, "We will further develop AI technology to close the healthcare gap between medical professionals and communities and contribute to innovating the healthcare industry."