Ainex bested global competitors in a supply deal to provide NUH with lower and upper gastrointestinal endoscopy support.

The newly opened National University Centre for Digestive Health at the National University Hospital in Singapore is adding Korean AI to its roster of AI-powered systems that support the detection, diagnosis and management of digestive conditions.

NUH recently signed an agreement with South Korean medical AI company Ainex Corporation to deploy its Endoscopy as AI-powered Device (ENAD), real-time AI-assisted diagnostic software for upper and lower gastrointestinal endoscopy, across all its endoscopy units.  

According to Ainex, ENAD detects lesions in real time and automatically characterises them to support clinical decision-making. Citing peer-reviewed studies, the company said the software increased adenoma detection rate by 16%. 

NUH and Ainex also announced a joint clinical research partnership aimed at improving ENAD's AI algorithm and diagnostic performance. 

THE LARGER CONTEXT

The supply deal and research partnership build on a memorandum of understanding in 2024 between NUH and Ainex to evaluate and validate ENAD. 

For the upcoming joint research, Ainex said it plans to collect additional real-world data to improve ENAD's ability to identify adenomas and neoplasms, sessile serrated lesions and early gastric cancer. The company also plans to further develop and validate AI algorithms for assessing intestinal metaplasia and inflammatory bowel disease.

The agreement comes more than a year after Ainex received approval for ENAD from Singapore's Health Sciences Authority. 

In a statement, Ainex CEO David Lee said NUH's deployment has drawn "strong interest from Singapore's medical community."

The company claims ENAD was the first software of its kind approved in South Korea, where it is now deployed in more than 200 health settings. The software has also been approved in Thailand, Malaysia and Colombia, while Ainex is pursuing CE marking in Europe. 

Moreover, the supply deal followed the recent opening of the NUCD, which consolidates NUH's digestive health services to provide streamlined, same-day access to specialists in upper gastrointestinal, hepatobiliary and pancreatic and colorectal care. It also serves as a referral hub for complex cases from other hospitals within the National University Health System.

The centre, first conceptualised in 2024, uses three AI-powered systems for the detection, diagnosis, and quality control of digestive conditions, including gastrointestinal and liver cancers, which are among the leading causes of cancer-related deaths in Singapore.

ON THE RECORD

"Computer-assisted endoscopy tools have the potential to increase detection of premalignant gastrointestinal lesions by helping clinicians identify areas that may warrant closer examination, as well as enhance gastrointestinal disease diagnosis by providing real-time gastrointestinal premalignant lesion assessment," adjunct associate professor and senior consultant Dr Jonathan Lee of the NUH NUCD said in a statement to Healthcare IT News. 

"Platforms such as Ainex's ENAD integrate these detection and diagnostic capabilities for gastrointestinal endoscopy, supporting workflow consistency and complementing clinicians' expertise in making informed decisions."

Topic: Artificial Intelligence, Clinical, Decision Support, Patient Engagement, Workflow