An Insight into Cure51’s Innovative Approach to Cancer Treatment
Interview with Nicolas Wolikow and Simon Istolainen, Co-founders of Cure51
Nicolas Wolikow and Simon Istolainen are the co-founders of Cure51 and repeat entrepreneurs with experience in health tech. Nicolas founded and sold Qare, and Simon was a shareholder and advisor to Owkin.
– What inspired the creation of Cure51, and what led you to this field?
Cure51 was founded on the belief that some answers to challenging medical conditions, such as cancer, already lie in the experiences of rare outlier patients. We set out to track, analyse, and understand these cases, driven by the stories of individuals who defied the odds. Our combination of AI and biotech expertise enables us to identify the biological mechanisms behind these recoveries and aim to bring these insights to benefit all patients.
– How have your backgrounds in AI and biotech shaped Cure51’s mission?
Nicolas has a history of building successful healthtech ventures, including Qare, which gave him deep insights into scaling within the sector. Simon, with his expertise in techbio, particularly through his work with Owkin and their AI-driven research in oncology, brought invaluable knowledge of clinical research and biological processes. Together, we developed a platform that uses AI to explore genetic, molecular, and clinical data from cancer survivors, seeking patterns that could revolutionise treatments.
– How do you envision the future of cancer treatment?
Our vision is a future where cancer is managed like a chronic disease, with treatments that are personalised, highly effective, and minimally toxic. We believe the data we’ve collected from outlier cancer survivors can help uncover the mechanisms that lead to such exceptional remissions, paving the way for more personalised and effective cancer therapies.
– What sets Cure51’s research methodology apart in studying cancer survivors?
Unlike traditional research, which often relies on theoretical models, our methodology focuses on real-world data from survivors. We gather extensive clinical and multi-omics data from individuals with extraordinary outcomes, using AI algorithms to identify patterns and test these insights through collaborations with research institutions and clinical trials.
– What AI technologies and models do you utilise to analyse cancer survivor data?
We employ machine learning algorithms, such as deep learning and neural networks, designed for large-scale data processing, to analyse complex biological data. Natural Language Processing (NLP) is also used to extract key insights from medical records and scientific literature, allowing us to correlate clinical outcomes with molecular patterns.
– How do you ensure the accuracy of your data?
To guarantee accuracy, we work with leading medical institutions and implement rigorous verification processes through our proprietary platform. Our AI models also undergo continuous validation to ensure consistency with established medical knowledge. Additionally, all multi-omics data is generated in our own lab, following standardised protocols to ensure reliable results.
– How do you see AI’s role in transforming oncology and healthcare overall?
AI is poised to transform oncology by uncovering deep insights from complex data, enabling more personalised treatments and improving patient outcomes. It also plays a critical role in accelerating drug discovery and clinical research, making advanced treatments more accessible and efficient.
– What advice would you give aspiring entrepreneurs in AI and biotech?
Focus on real-world applications and collaborate across disciplines. Innovation thrives at the intersection of different fields, so being open to collaboration is crucial. Stay committed to rigorous scientific research and always be prepared to adapt and refine your approach based on emerging data and patient needs.
– What are Cure51’s next steps in advancing cancer treatment?
Our immediate goal is to expand our database and apply our findings to new cancer indications with significant unmet medical needs. We have just closed a partnership with 10x Genomics to deploy their Visium HD technology. By using Visium HD, we aim to uncover new insights into long-term cancer survival mechanisms and build the first proprietary multi-omics database of exceptional cancer survivors.
We are also focused on building more partnerships with research centres worldwide to accelerate the development of AI-driven tools that can directly influence clinical outcomes.
To learn more about Cure51’s innovative efforts in cancer treatment, check out our previous article on their radical approach, how AI, wearables, and blockchain innovations are transforming healthcare and shaping its future.
0 comments