ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Twenty years from now, most diagnostics within primary care will be done using the aid of artificial intelligence, at least, that’s the goal of a New Mexico start-up using the technology to help diagnose a degenerative eye disease. Chad Brummett found out they are just one of many companies getting a leg up on success through the BioScience Center in Albuquerque.
According to the CDC, 9.6 million Americans were living with diabetic retinopathy in 2021. The degenerative condition will often go unnoticed with symptoms only showing up in advanced stages of the disease.
Jeremy Stueven is the founder and CEO of Vitazi AI, a start-up based in Santa Fe’s business incubator. The company was founded at the crossroads of Stueven’s history as an emergency room doctor and aspirations as a product developer.
After working for years in emergency rooms, and creating a successful practice, Stueven shifted gears and established the company, whose first mission was to combat a disease that has robbed thousands of Americans of their eyesight.
Essentially, too much sugar in the blood can cause blockage in the blood vessels of the retina. The body then tries and fails to grow new vessels. Over time, they can begin to leak into the retina, causing floaters, blurred vision, and potentially blindness. However, as Stueven stresses “if you notice changes in your vision, it’s likely already too late.”
To get Vitazi off the ground, Stueven was connected with Stuart Rose, founder of the BioScience Center in Albuquerque.
The building located just off San Pedro and I-40 is home to 30 offices and 10 laboratories, all catering to start-ups in the bioscience field. Both Rose and Stueven stress the importance that small business start-ups like Vitazi, represent in local economies.
Vitazi is currently in clinical trials on its diagnostic machine that employs artificial intelligence to analyze multiple medical imaging taken over time. Machine learning can detect subtle changes in the imagery, which can lead to better and earlier diagnoses.
Stueven’s goals for AI diagnostics don’t end with the eyes he envisions a time when primary care physicians will be able to use the technology to detect and diagnose conditions right in their office.
And as Rose, who has witnessed the successful growth of pioneering companies like Vitazi for a decade said New Mexico’s reputation for innovation shows no signs of slowing down. Stueven said they are currently seeking participants for their clinical trials. If you’d like more information on how to participate, click here.
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