GramEye, a Japanese startup developing products for infectious disease diagnosis using AI, announced on November 20th that it had secured ¥570 million (approximately $3.65 million) in a Series B funding round.
The company was founded in 2020 by Yu Hiraoka and Tatsuya Yamada, both physicians who graduated from the Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine. The company aims to curb the problem of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) by speeding up, standardizing, and optimizing infectious disease diagnosis using AI-equipped devices.
What is AMR, a global issue?
AMR occurs when resistant bacteria survive and multiply during the use of antibiotics following an infection. Naturally, if bacteria become resistant to drugs, the disease can become difficult to cure, and in the worst cases, it can be fatal. The World Health Organization estimates that in 2019, over one million people died worldwide as a direct result of AMR, and nearly five million deaths were associated with AMR.
Based on these findings, GramEye calls AMR a “global public health issue on a par with climate change.”
In January of this year, the company released Mycrium, an automated microbiology staining analyzer. This medical device automates the Gram staining process. Specifically, it automates the process of staining and drying samples and using AI to classify the Gram stained image. According to GramEye, the system can process 15 slides and 30 samples simultaneously, including positive blood cultures and urine samples. Throughput is approximately 10 minutes per sample, or approximately 6 minutes per sample when processing two or more samples simultaneously.
While Mycrium automates testing to speed up testing and reduce human error, it alone cannot solve or mitigate AMR. For this reason, GramEye is expected to develop and release various products to address these issues while securing a revenue base.
GramEye’s advisors include Satoshi Kutsuna, a professor at Osaka University Graduate School, the alma mater of the company’s founder. Kutsuna appeared in the media as a commentator during the COVID-19 pandemic, making him a familiar name and face not only to medical professionals but also to the general public in Japan.
In addition to FDA approval, the funds will also be used to develop a new system
Both of the Series B round were funded by Japanese venture capital firms, with new investor Beyond Next Ventures and existing investors Samurai Incubate and NES participating.
GramEye explained that the funds will be used as follows:
- Enhancement of AI and hardware for existing solutions
- Promoting overseas expansion, including obtaining US FDA approval
- Development of a new CDSS (clinical decision support system)
CDSS is a computer system that supports healthcare professionals’ decision-making based on data and other information. As mentioned above, GramEye’s commitment to addressing the issue of AMR, one step at a time, is evident.
