If you’ve read our magazine these last two years, you’ve witnessed the flurry of new and potentially lifechanging cancer technologies that are beginning to be available to oncologists, scientists, clinical trials and more. It is remarkable what we have all witnessed in such a short time. So much has come to the forefront in just this past year.
As the year comes to a close, we felt it was time to give the proper amount of respect to the companies that are doing so much to keep us alive. And the one company that has impressed us the most this year is Paige. This is a company to keep your eyes on in the new year and beyond. Their scientists are doing nothing less than transforming how pathologists work through a comprehensive digital pathway, and much more. It will change medicine as we know it. It’s already begun.
What we are consistently seeing with Paige is amazing. And it should give us all pause to reflect and thank the scientists, oncologists and of course the patients for going through the clinical trials and showing so much courage. At the end of the day, this is you, me and everyone out there who has the potential to be diagnosed with cancer. It’s all about the patients. This could save it all.
This is the year in which the global cancer community realized that they really are on the road to ridding the world of cancer. It’s slow work of course. It’s trial and error and trial and error. But there are companies now like Paige who have cancer in their sites.
According to the National Cancer Institute, Artificial intelligence (AI) is a machine’s ability to perform functions that are usually thought of as intelligent human behaviors, such as learning, reasoning, and solving problems.
Computers derive this ability from algorithms that enable the use of data to make predictions or to create new content. AI algorithms can detect patterns in large amounts of data and identify relationships among pieces of data that cannot be easily perceived by the human brain.
In recent years, advances in three areas—methods and algorithms for training AI models, computer hardware needed to train these models, and access to large volumes of cancer data such as imaging, genomics, and clinical data—have converged, leading to promising new applications of AI in cancer research.
While covering the enormous American Society of Hematology (ASH) convention just a couple weeks ago here in San Diego, I saw all kinds of new, potentially game-changing treatments and new ways of finding cancer early and so much more. I saw raw energy and joy – and this era overall is not exactly known for being an optimistic one. There is darkness around us. But the cancer industry is booming. And AI is one of the main reasons why.
Science is giving us real reasons to smile. Of course, it was impossible to look at even a tiny percentage of the breakthrough trials and discoveries. It would take years to read about all that is new. But just being there gave me hope.
Among all the things that have impressed me in this brave new world, of all the things that are going to help patients live longer and kill this monster menace cancer, I’d have to say that Artificial Intelligence is what has shown the most genuine magic. But it just looks and feels like magic. It is quite the opposite. None of this is magic. It’s the result of years of intense trial and error.
Many and probably most of the folks who are reading this piece right now would probably admit that they had some trepidation about AI when they first heard about what it can do. But that was then and this is now.
Sure, AI is still a controversial issue in certain situations. And we all need to remain vigilant. We all need to make sure that what these scientists are doing with AI is legitimate. But when it is used ethically and properly, it is like nothing I have ever seen before. The hype really is not hype. AI is changing the way we learn about cancer. It is nothing less than revolutionary.
Paige has shown growth and consistent leadership throughout this past year. A big part of that was the decision to appoint Razik Yousfi as CEO and CTO. The idea was to strengthen Paige’s focus on delivering the most trusted and advanced AI solutions. And it was clearly the right choice. Of course, things like collaborating with Microsoft to achieve recognition in Nature Medicine for the development of the Virchow model speaks for itself.
Yousfi notes that launching Paige’s second-generation foundation models, Virchow 2 and Virchow 2G, were built on a diverse dataset of more than 3 million slides from 800+ labs and 45 countries. These models offer unparalleled data diversity and depth and remain the world’s largest and most advanced AI models for clinical pathology.
Paige is transforming the way pathologists work through a comprehensive digital pathology platform and generative AI applications. Open-sourcing Paige’s Virchow and PRISM models accelerate cancer research, diagnostics, and drug development worldwide.
Advancing Precision Medicine
A very important part of the company’s module works with Pan Cancer Detection, Pan Cancer Digital Biomarker Panel, and Cellular Analytics for life sciences, pharmaceutical companies, and research entities. These modules enable precise therapeutic targeting, novel biomarker identification, and optimized clinical trial design for more successful clinical trials, faster time-to-market for new therapies, and significantly enhanced R&D pipelines for pharmaceutical and life sciences organizations.
Strategically partnering for interoperability is also a big part of the company’s success. Partnering with major AI and laboratory technology companies to ensure seamless AI integration in pathology labs, too, has been a smart move. The potential is huge.
And just wait and see what is on the way. What we are going to see in 2025 and beyond gives me a deep sense of excitement and calm.
“As we look ahead to 2025, the momentum in digital pathology adoption will continue,” Yousfi tells Breaking Cancer News in an exclusive interview.
“We’re seeing unprecedented collaboration among key technology providers, which is essential to driving the industry forward. AI will continue to unlock transformative potential in healthcare, particularly in pharma, where it will accelerate clinical trials and advance precision drug development.”
In cancer care, Yousfi notes, “AI will continue to grow smarter and more finely tuned to the nuances of diagnosis and different cancer types, paving the way for more accurate and timely treatment. This, supported by the innovations of the cancer care ecosystem made up of researchers and others, is creating a better paradigm for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer.”
Yousfi concludes, “At Paige, we’re excited to be at the forefront of this evolution, working with our partners to push the boundaries of what’s possible in cancer care.”
A fact-filled sidebar from Paige that helps explain the company’s successes:
Unrivaled Expertise:
We understand the unique challenges of drug development in pathology and oncology and have the knowledge and skills to overcome them.
Scalability
Our Foundation Models are designed to scale with your research requirements, accommodating large datasets and complex analyses with ease.
Regulatory Excellence
With FDA approval and a track record of regulatory compliance, Paige offers peace of mind in meeting industry standards and regulations.
Proven Success
Countless pharmaceutical companies have already benefited from partnering with Paige and thousands of patients worldwide are benefiting from our AI tools.
Security & Privacy
Paige adheres to rigorous privacy and security protocols to ensure confident and safe use of our products in real-world settings.
