Optellum
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Medical technology |
| Founded | 28 October 2015 |
| Founders | Prof. Sir Michael Brady, Dr. Václav Potěšil, Dr. Timor Kadir, Dr. Jérôme Declerck, Dr. Lyndsey Pickup |
| Headquarters | Oxford, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom |
Key people | Dr. Johnathan Watkins (CEO), Prof. Sir Michael Brady (Founding Chair) |
| Products | Virtual Nodule Clinic |
| Website | optellum |
Optellum is a British medical technology company that develops artificial intelligence (AI)-based clinical decision-support software for early lung cancer diagnosis and the early detection, management, and follow-up of incidental pulmonary nodules.[1][2]
History
Optellum was incorporated in October 2015 in the United Kingdom.[3] It originated from research at the University of Oxford's Computer Vision Laboratory, with the goal of applying machine learning to lung-nodule assessment and diagnosis. It was founded by four Oxford scientists and emeritus professor of oncological imaging at the University of Oxford, Sir Michael Brady [4]
In 2022, Optellum raised US$14 million in Series A funding to expand operations in the UK and the United States and to accelerate deployment of their AI platform for lung cancer diagnosis.[1]
Products and technology
Optellum's core platform, the Virtual Nodule Clinic, assists radiologists and pulmonologists in identifying and evaluating lung nodules.[2] The software uses radiomics and machine learning algorithms to compute a Lung Cancer Prediction (LCP) score that estimates malignancy risk.[5][6] The system also supports screening and management of incidental nodules, detecting high-risk nodules in CT scans performed for other clinical reasons such as emergency or cardiac evaluations, and enabling longitudinal tracking and follow-up of these patients.[2]
The Virtual Nodule Clinic has received regulatory clearances in several jurisdictions, including U.S. FDA 510(k), CE Mark, and UKCA approval.[1] It is associated with CPT® code 0721T for AI-based lung nodule risk assessment and management. In 2022, the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) approved a national payment rate for the LCP score, enabling Medicare reimbursement.[2] The platform has been deployed in healthcare systems such as AtlantiCare in New Jersey, which reported identifying multiple high-risk nodules through its use.[7]
Partnerships
In 2025, Optellum announced a collaboration with Bristol-Myers Squibb to implement its AI system across several U.S. healthcare networks to improve early lung cancer diagnosis.[8] It has also partnered with GE HealthCare to expand AI integration into imaging and lung health solutions.[9]
See also
References
- ^ a b c "Oxford spinout Optellum secures $14m funding to advance pioneering AI-powered lung cancer diagnosis technology". University of Oxford (Press release). 3 October 2022. Retrieved 9 November 2025.
- ^ a b c d "Optellum's Virtual Nodule Clinic: A trailblazing AI for early lung cancer diagnosis". Oxford Academic Health Partners. 10 May 2024. Retrieved 9 November 2025.
- ^ "OPTELLUM LTD overview". Companies House. Retrieved 9 November 2025.
- ^ R., Vignesh (3 October 2022). "Founded by four scientists in Oxford, Optellum raises $14M for its AI-powered lung cancer diagnosis". Tech Funding News. Retrieved 9 November 2025.
- ^ Paez, Rafael; Kammer, Michael N.; Balar, Aneri; Lakhani, Dhairya A.; Knight, Michael; Rowe, Dianna; Xiao, David; Heideman, Brent E.; Antic, Sanja L.; Chen, Heidi; Chen, Sheau-Chiann; Peikert, Tobias; Sandler, Kim L.; Landman, Bennett A.; Deppen, Stephen A. (15 April 2023). "Longitudinal lung cancer prediction convolutional neural network model improves the classification of indeterminate pulmonary nodules". Scientific Reports. 13 (1): 6157. Bibcode:2023NatSR..13.6157P. doi:10.1038/s41598-023-33098-y. ISSN 2045-2322. PMC 10105767. PMID 37061539.
- ^ Xiao, David; Forero, Yency; Kammer, Michael N.; Chen, Heidi; Paez, Rafael; Heideman, Brent E.; Owoseeni, Oreoluwa; Johnson, Ian; Deppen, Stephen A.; Grogan, Eric L.; Maldonado, Fabien (27 June 2025). "Radiomic 'Stress Test': exploration of a deep learning radiomic model in a high-risk prospective lung nodule cohort". BMJ Open Respiratory Research. 12 (1) e002687. doi:10.1136/bmjresp-2024-002687. ISSN 2052-4439. PMC 12207176. PMID 40579208.
- ^ "AtlantiCare deploys Optellum AI for early lung cancer diagnosis and treatment". AtlantiCare (Press release). Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey. 23 February 2023. Retrieved 9 November 2025.
- ^ "Optellum, Bristol Myers Squibb to Leverage AI to Boost Early Lung Cancer Diagnosis". Imaging Technology News. 17 April 2025. Retrieved 15 November 2025.
- ^ Park, Andrea (29 November 2021). "GE HealthCare doubles down on AI with new product launches, partnerships with Optellum and Cambridge". Fierce Biotech. Retrieved 9 November 2025.