Ainnova Tech, Inc, a partner of Avant Technologies that focuses on artificial intelligence in early disease detection, signed a strategic alliance with Roche and health-plan provider Salud 360 for a pilot program aimed at fighting diabetic retinopathy (DR). According to an Avant press release, the program will begin in Costa Rica, where approximately 10.4% of the adult population has diabetes and uncontrolled diabetes is the leading cause of preventable blindness. Moreover, data from the Costa Rican Institute for Research and Teaching in Nutrition and Health finds that 20-40% of diabetic patients develop DR.

The strategic alliance aims to improve access to vision screening in patients with uncontrolled diabetes with the hope of decreasing the risks of DR. The pilot program will use non-mydriatic fundus cameras and AI developed by Ainnova Tech to automatically analyze retinal images and identify changes in the retina that would be an early indicator of DR without the need for invasive tests. Patients who are members of Salud 360 will be the first to benefit from screenings at affiliated clinics. Those at risk will be referred immediately to ophthalmology specialists for care.

If successful in Costa Rica, Avant and Ainnova plan to implement similar programs in the United States, Canada and Europe.