IQ-AI Ltd
("IQ-AI" or the "Company")
Operations Update
IQ-AI is
pleased to announce an operations update. In this update, we focus
on the relevance of artificial intelligence ("AI") to our business,
describe ongoing product development utilising AI in 2025, and
provide an update on the Phase One clinical trial.
Overall,
radiology leads the way in FDA approvals for AI-enabled products as
the FDA has increased efforts to keep pace with the advancements in
AI technology. The directors believe IQ-AI, through its subsidiary,
Imaging Biometrics, LLC ("IB"), is in a unique position to lead
this transformation for neuro-oncology in 2025 and
beyond.
IB CLINIC
The
imminent release of the new version of IB Clinic; our FDA-cleared
suite of quantitative imaging solutions will include the
incorporation of an AI model, which will greatly improve diagnostic
accuracy and speed. This AI model was trained using brain tumor
imaging data from both publicly available archives and labeled
de-identified data from the laboratory of Kathleen Schmainda, PhD
at the Medical College of Wisconsin ("MCW"); one of the largest
data repositories for both treated and untreated brain tumors in
the world. The workflow will leverage two machine-learning models
to compute fractional tumor burden ("FTB") maps. Used in
combination, the models generate exclusive output that applies to
vascular tumors (including metastatic tumors) and spans the entire
spectrum of patient care. The resulting output are intuitive
classification maps of perfusion blood volume levels that reliably
distinguish normal from unhealthy tissue, often providing an
indication of response sooner than conventional imaging. As our
recently appointed non-executive board member, Dr. Al Musella,
commented, "Every brain tumor patient and clinical trial needs a
FTB map". This new automated, AI-powered, FTB workflow makes this
possible.
IB ZERO G
IB Zero G
leverages a variation of the AI model being implemented in the next
release of IB Clinic. Applicable functions of the model can be
enabled by simply toggling on/off certain sections of code to
unlock the patented technology. Our plan is to continue testing and refining the
AI-generated output of IB Zero G, prioritizing its readiness for
FDA approval once other key objectives are completed.
IB NIMBLE
The first
half of 2025 should mark the next release of IB Nimble with the
functionality to view IB's AI-generated images and other images
within the mobile app. Thereafter, our attention will shift to the
development of a mobile app that allows patients to directly report
their symptoms while undergoing various treatment protocols. Their
real-time feedback, both structured and unstructured, will be
archived in a global repository for subsequent development using
Large Language Models ("LLMs") and general AI model development. We
consider the use of this mineable data a significantly untapped AI
opportunity in healthcare; one that will lead to evidence-based,
personalized medicine for improved patient outcomes.
ASL
Also, in
2025 we anticipate releasing a new product leveraging arterial spin
labeling ("ASL"). As previously reported, ASL is a perfusion
approach that complements IB Neuro. Instead of using an injected
contrast agent, ASL uses the body's own blood. Clients have
increasingly requested this technology from IB. It has grown in
clinical use particularly for measuring blood flow (as opposed to
blood volume) in the care of patients who suffered a
stroke.
Finally,
the development continues of a previously announced AI algorithm
that predicts where tumor cells will appear in the brain before
they are visible on standard imaging. This R&D effort, led by
the Schmainda laboratory at MCW, has the potential to disrupt
surgical and radiation treatment planning, as well as treatment
surveillance, for cancer patients. Like IB Zero G, this technology
would require a new FDA 510(k) application and clearance, and it
will remain on our product roadmap given its continuing
technological advancement and its potential commercial
impact.
Progress in the Phase 1 trial of Gallium
Maltolate for Treatment of Relapsed Glioblastoma
Glioblastoma ("GBM") is an extremely aggressive
brain tumor. Despite standard treatment with surgery,
chemoradiation, and adjuvant chemotherapy, the median survival of
patients is only 14-16 months. The addition of electrical Tumor
Treating fields has extended the median survival by approximately 5
months. Unfortunately, glioblastoma patients experience the
recurrence of their disease at which point progression-free
survival ("PFS") is short. A recent Cochrane Review reported the
PFS following first recurrence of GBM is 1.5 to 4.2 months*. Hence,
there is a dire need to develop new drugs to treat this
disease.
Based on
positive results of our preclinical research, an FDA-approved Phase
1 trial of gallium maltolate ("GaM") for the treatment of patients
with relapsed glioblastoma was initiated. This trial is nearing
completion. It is estimated that the final patient (in the
expansion phase) will be enrolled on the study by the end of the
first quarter or early in the second quarter of 2025 and that a
full report to the FDA will follow.
The Phase 1
clinical trial has two main objectives:
Safety and tolerance. The first objective is to determine the safety
and tolerance of glioblastoma patients treated with oral gallium
maltolate and to determine a Recommended Phase 2 Dose ("RP2D") of
gallium maltolate for further studies. This objective has been
achieved. We have concluded that oral gallium maltolate is
extremely well-tolerated by patients and provides them with an
excellent quality of life during treatment. Based on measurements
of gallium in the blood and the manageable side-effects at the 2500
mg per day dose, we will be recommending to the FDA that this
amount be deemed the RP2D for treatment of patients with
glioblastoma.
Preliminary signals of response to treatment and
future directions. The second objective of the Phase 1 trial was to
determine whether there were signals, based on brain MRI,
suggestive of a response to treatment. We are encouraged to note
that some patients treated with gallium maltolate have experienced
a longer progression-free interval when compared with historical
controls. We consider these signals to be encouraging in that it
appears that some patients have had the growth of their tumors
retarded by gallium maltolate treatment. Because a Phase 1 study is
designed to only evaluate drug tolerance and side-effects, no
conclusions can be made regarding the true efficacy of gallium
maltolate in glioblastoma treatment.
Based on
our encouraging preliminary signals of clinical response to GaM,
including the excellent quality of life experienced by patients, a
Phase 2 clinical trial with enrollment of larger number of patients
(for statistical power) to determine the efficacy of the RP2D of
gallium maltolate is warranted. A Phase 2 trial of gallium
maltolate in glioblastoma treatment is now in
development.
--ENDS--
The
Directors of the Company accept responsibility for the contents of
this announcement.
For
further information, please contact:
IQ-AI
Ltd
Trevor
Brown/Al Musella/Brett Skelly/Michael
Schmainda
Tel: 020
7469 0930
|
Peterhouse
Capital Limited (Financial Adviser and Broker)
Tel: 020
7220 9797
|
About IQ-AI Limited and Imaging
Biometrics, LLC
IQ-AI
Limited, (LON: IQAI) (OTCQB: IQAIF), the parent company of
Wisconsin-based Imaging Biometrics, LLC (IB), is focused on
delivering quantitative imaging platforms and therapeutics that
transform how clinicians diagnose and treat patients more
efficiently and effectively. For more information about IQ-AI and
Imaging Biometrics, visit the companies' websites at
iq-ai.ltd and imagingbiometrics.com.
*
McBain C, Lawrie TA, Rogozińska E, Kernohan A, Robinson T,
Jefferies S. Treatment options for progression or recurrence of
glioblastoma: a network meta-analysis. Cochrane Database Syst Rev.
2021 May 4;5(1):CD013579. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD013579.pub2.
PMID: 34559423; PMCID: PMC8121043.