SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Alpenglow Biosciences, a leading 3D spatial biology company, was recently awarded contracts from Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and secured additional investment to further its clinical product development.
ARPA-H Precision Surgical Interventions contract
ARPA-H has awarded Jonathan T.C. Liu, Ph.D., University of Washington Professor and Scientific Co-Founder of Alpenglow Biosciences, a groundbreaking contract to develop a platform technology for precision tumor removal. The five-year ARPA-H contract (up to $21M) is part of the Cancer Moonshot initiative spearheaded by the Biden administration. Alpenglow, alongside elite academic medical centers, is set to transform the fight against cancer with its innovative AI-driven 3D Spatial Biology platform.
Alpenglow will be partnering with the Liu Biophotonics Lab at University of Washington, the Mahmood AI Lab at Harvard & Mass General Brigham, and Vanderbilt University Medical Center to develop a breakthrough technology for surgical oncology. The platform aims to provide near real-time, high-resolution 3D imaging to identify tumor margins with unprecedented accuracy. This revolutionary approach promises to minimize the need for repeat procedures and markedly improve patient outcomes. The contract also includes support for Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulatory strategy and reimbursement through the Project Accelerator Transition Innovation Office (PATIO) program.
NIH SBIR Phase II contract
The NIH has awarded Alpenglow a $2M Phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract to further its development of prostate cancer diagnostics in collaboration with CorePlus, a leading digital pathology laboratory based in Puerto Rico. As part of the contract, Alpenglow will develop 3D pathology AI tests using prostate core biopsies. These diagnostic tests will meet an urgent clinical need by providing clinicians with more accurate prognostic and predictive information to guide the care of prostate cancer patients, a disease affecting 200,000 Americans each year.
The tests will leverage Alpenglow’s unique 3D microscopy data, which offers superior predictive power compared to slide-based digital pathology or sequencing assays. In combination with cutting edge AI algorithms, these 3D pathology assays will give clinicians a highly effective tool to guide treatment of prostate cancer patients.
Investing in the Alpenglow Aurora™ difference
On top of these contracts, Alpenglow received $1M in additional investment led by Dynamk Capital and Paul McEwan to further develop its Aurora™ platform for tissue-to-insights solutions leveraging 3D spatial biology. Dr. Nicholas Reder, CEO and Co-Founder, said, “The Alpenglow Aurora™ platform is a paradigm shift. Its rapid imaging and AI-driven analysis are poised to redefine predictive diagnostics and intraoperative care, cementing our position at the vanguard of disruptive technology in pathology.”
Steve Pemberton, Senior Vice President of Commercial Development, added, “We're taking pathology from the microscope slide to the digital age. Our platform’s 3D, digital, and AI-enhanced capabilities will usher in a new era in clinical assessment of tissue.”
This investment will accelerate Alpenglow’s current success in 3D tissue assessment with the 3D Derm Score™ and 3D Immuno-Oncology (I-O) Score™. Both products are currently available for research use only and are available for use in clinical trials to accelerate drug development for biopharma customers. Earlier this year, Alpenglow announced a $50,000 research grant to identify novel applications for its 3D I-O Score and received dozens of applications from leading research groups around the world.
A key inflection point for Alpenglow Biosciences
Alpenglow Biosciences, established in 2018 and bolstered by a decade of pioneering academic research in the Liu Lab, is leading a 3D revolution in pathology. “Others see the challenge in pathology as digitizing glass slides,” Dr. Reder remarked, “at Alpenglow we envision moving beyond a single slide to the whole tissue, unlocking all of the crucial information in tissue samples to usher in a 3D AI-driven future.”
The new funds from ARPA-H, NIH, and investors underscores the federal government's confidence in Alpenglow Biosciences to commercialize its promising 3D pathology platform from a biopharma research technology to high impact clinical assays. The future of pathology is 3D, and with these funds, a revolution in the way we understand biology and treat disease is accelerating even faster.
To learn how 3D spatial biology can change the way you understand pathology, contact us today.
About Alpenglow Biosciences:
Alpenglow Biosciences, a leader in 3D Spatial Biology, is on a mission to elevate the standard of care with its Aurora™ platform. By integrating non-destructive 3D imaging and AI, Alpenglow is not just on the cutting edge—it’s creating it. With the goal of improving the lives for millions of patients, Alpenglow is the company to watch for elevating pathology to new heights. See what you’ve been missing at alpenglowbiosciences.com.
