TOP 100 Swiss Startup Altoida Secures Investment From Hikma Ventures to Drive Better Clinical Outcomes For Brain Disease

06.05.2020 09:27, Guillaume Tinsel

Altoida Inc., a Luzern-based predictive digital biomarker company, today announced it has secured financing from Hikma Ventures, the venture capital arm of Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC. The startup diagnosing Alzheimer's disease thanks to virtual reality to predict the onset of the disease up to five years in advance continues its rapid growth.

The company’s -FDA cleared and CE Mark-approved medical device and brain health data platform is being used by researchers, patients and physicians across the globe to detect Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) up to ten years prior to onset. The additional financing will be used to further expand Altoida’s presence in the US, Japan, Europe and Brazil and follows the company’s $6.3 million Series A round that closed early 2019. Altoida was a Venture Kick winner in 2014 as well as one of the TOP 100 Swiss Startups for the last three consecutive years (2017-2019).

“Hikma Ventures is a highly reputable venture capital firm, and we share a common vision of putting better health within reach for millions of people across the globe,” said Dr. Richard Fischer, President & CEO of Altoida Inc. “Their investment in Altoida during these unprecedented times is a testament to their belief in the strength of our company and the value of our digital health technology. Hikma Ventures is the perfect addition to our investor syndicate and an important partner as we continue to execute on our clearly defined commercialization strategy.”

Altoida leverages predictive digital biomarkers to drive better clinical outcomes for brain disease. By leveraging the latest advancements in Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML) and Augmented Reality (AR), Altoida collects functional and cognitive biomarkers to help detect Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) due to Alzheimer’s disease prior to its onset – with up to 94% accuracy. Now healthcare professionals have a novel way to objectively assess cognitive and everyday functions, in the most ecologically valid way.

Using Smart Device sensors, Altoida analyzes visuospatial and executive function during complex activities of daily living by asking patients to hide and seek virtual objects in a physical space. Altoida is able to detect “micro-errors” as both a prognostic and diagnostic digital biomarker, allowing medical professionals to detect Alzheimer’s disease in patients 62+ years old between six and ten years prior to the onset of symptoms – and before irreversible damage occurs. The company has validated its platform and methodology in more than 12 peer-reviewed journal publications and in more than 200 independent studies.

Altoida's Chief Science Officer Ioannis Tarnanas