New Collaboration to Apply Power of AI to Digital Pathology Images

Clinical artificial intelligence (AI) applications have the potential to help pathologists diagnose cancer more confidently and efficiently, ultimately improving patient care. Now, a new collaboration aims to lead the digital transformation of pathology and cancer diagnosis.

Microsoft (Redmond, WA, USA) and Paige (New York, NY, USA) have entered into a collaboration to apply the power of AI to digital pathology images for developing and delivering a new generation of clinical applications and computational biomarkers to transform cancer diagnosis and patient care. Microsoft will also make a strategic investment in Paige to accelerate the development and deployment of life-saving AI diagnostics. Through the collaboration, Paige and Microsoft will scale Paige’s technology globally and accelerate the adoption of AI in digital pathology.

Image: Digital pathology opens up new possibilities and offers advanced tools for pathologists (Photo courtesy of Paige)

Paige puts the power of AI into the hands of pathologists by developing novel AI applications on a powerful platform, making it easy to deploy AI in laboratories globally. Paige is currently the only company to have received FDA approval for an AI algorithm in pathology. Paige will use Microsoft Azure as its cloud provider for the Paige Platform, a comprehensive solution to power a lab’s digital pathology workflow that consists of data management, cloud storage options and FullFocus, an FDA-cleared whole-slide image viewer. As part of this collaboration, Paige will become a Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare partner and enable Microsoft to enhance its own offerings for healthcare customers.

Paige will work with other entities, including Microsoft Research on developing large scale machine learning models to push the boundaries of research in oncology and pathology. Paige is also working with Nuance, a Microsoft company, on integrating their offering with Nuance’s Precision Imaging Network. Paige technology will be offered as a partner solution in Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare, expanding access to cutting-edge digital cancer diagnostic tools. Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare connects customers with trusted partner solutions that make it easier to create personalized patient experiences, give clinicians connected tools, and adopt data standards important to healthcare. Together with Nuance, healthcare organizations can access the broadest and deepest set of trusted AI solutions to address the biggest challenges in the industry. Paige becoming a Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare partner extends the solution’s robust capabilities and helps it reach new customers.

“We are thrilled to partner with Microsoft to make AI cancer diagnostics accessible to countless laboratories and hospitals around the world as part of the digital transformation of pathology,” said Andy Moye, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer at Paige. “We believe that Microsoft’s world-class AI resources, cloud infrastructure, global reach and scale, combined with our deep expertise in developing AI cancer diagnostics, will drive a new era of diagnostics and precision treatment to improve the lives of patients.”

"The application of technology to help clinicians and researchers further enhance patient care and, in many cases, provide life-saving treatment is a core tenet for Microsoft in health and life sciences,” said Tom McGuinness, corporate vice president, Global Healthcare & Life Sciences, Microsoft. “We look forward to further collaborating with Paige and giving Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare customers the ability to harness the power and promise of AI in digital pathology.”

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