PictorLabs, a digital pathology spinoff from Los Angeles-based UCLA, has launched with $18.8 million in funding.
The company aims to accelerate clinical research via a virtual staining platform that uses artificial intelligence and deep learning algorithms. The latest $15.2 million funding round was led by M Ventures, the venture capital arm of pharma giant Merck, as well as SCC Soft Computer and Koc Holding.
"By virtually staining tissue images in the digital realm, our approach simplifies and accelerates workflows, speeding up drug discovery and diagnostic decision-making with the goal of ultimately improving patient outcomes," said Yair Rivenson, PhD, CEO and chief technology officer of PictorLabs, in a Dec. 1 company news release. "With the support of our experienced investors, we're now well placed to systematically expand our platform."