BranchLab's $26M Boost, AI in Cancer Research, and Instacart's Rural Nutrition Push

Hi there,

Welcome to this week's edition of Life AI Weekly, where we delve into the latest advancements in healthcare and life sciences AI. This week, we highlight significant developments such as BranchLab securing $26 million to enhance pharmaceutical commercialization through AI, and the collaboration between the Department of Health - Abu Dhabi and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center to advance cancer research using AI technologies. These initiatives underscore the growing role of AI in transforming healthcare delivery and research.

Additionally, Pointcare has launched an AI-driven platform to assist millions of Americans in managing their healthcare coverage, while VentriPoint Diagnostics showcased its AI-powered cardiac imaging technology, emphasizing its potential impact on the cardiac imaging market. These stories, among others, illustrate the diverse applications of AI in improving healthcare outcomes and operational efficiencies.

BranchLab Raises $26M to Boost AI in Pharma

BranchLab, an AI platform, has secured $26 million in Series A funding led by McKesson Ventures to enhance pharmaceutical commercialization through real-time insights and improved marketing efficacy. Read more

Abu Dhabi Health Department Partners with Fred Hutchinson for AI in Cancer Research

The Department of Health - Abu Dhabi has partnered with Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center to enhance cancer research and personalized prevention using AI. This collaboration aims to integrate Abu Dhabi's clinical and genomic data with Fred Hutch's research capabilities to improve cancer detection and treatment. Read more

Pointcare Launches AI-Driven Coverage Advocacy Platform

Pointcare has introduced an upgraded platform to help 192 million Americans manage their healthcare coverage, focusing on Medicaid, Medicare, and Marketplace plans. The platform aims to prevent coverage loss by offering real-time visibility and proactive management, especially in light of new compliance requirements. Read more

VentriPoint Diagnostics Presents AI Cardiac Imaging at European Conference

VentriPoint Diagnostics showcased its AI-powered cardiac imaging technology at a major European conference, emphasizing its role in the $59 billion cardiac imaging market. Read more

Homecare Homebase Report on AI in Home-Based Care

Homecare Homebase has released a report on the integration of AI in home-based care, focusing on improving documentation, decision-making, and financial performance while addressing challenges like patient acuity and workforce constraints. Read more

Elsevier Report Reveals AI Adoption Gaps for Nurses

The Clinician of the Future 2026 report by Elsevier highlights significant gaps in AI adoption among nurses, with many feeling underrepresented in decision-making processes. Read more

Instacart Partners with CHRA for Rural Nutrition Access

Instacart has partnered with the Collaborative for Healthy Rural America (CHRA) to improve access to nutritious food and essential goods in rural areas, supporting CMS Rural Health Transformation initiatives. Read more

Kai.ai Earns Gold APA Labs Badge for Mental Health AI

Kai.ai has been awarded a Gold APA Labs Digital Badge for its conversational AI platform in mental health, following an independent review of its scientific and safety standards. Read more

Corti Launches Program for Healthcare AI Startups

Corti has introduced a Startup Acceleration Program to help healthcare AI startups navigate regulatory challenges in Europe, offering support and credits to founders. Read more

Surgical Information Systems Unveils AI-Powered SIS Scribe

At the ASCA 2026 conference, Surgical Information Systems launched SIS Scribe, an AI-powered transcription tool for clinical documentation in ambulatory surgery centers. Read more

Phylex BioSciences Develops AI-Driven Vaccine in Two Days

Phylex BioSciences has rapidly developed an AI-derived mRNA nanoparticle vaccine against the Andes hantavirus, completing the design in just two days following an outbreak linked to the cruise ship MV Hondius. Read more

SOPHiA GENETICS and Synnovis Partner for AI Cancer Testing in UK

SOPHiA GENETICS has teamed up with Synnovis to enhance AI-driven liquid biopsy testing for lung and breast cancer patients in the UK. This collaboration aims to improve access to genomic testing and expedite targeted therapy as part of NHS England's blood test-first program. Read more

Cantex and Headlamp Partner for AI-Driven MS Treatment

Cantex Pharmaceuticals and Headlamp Health have partnered to use AI in developing azeliragon for treating severe depression and fatigue in multiple sclerosis patients. Read more

H.I.G. Capital Acquires Vitaly Group via Avanta Salud

H.I.G. Capital has announced that Avanta Salud, one of its portfolio companies, will acquire Vitaly Group to enhance AI-driven occupational health services. The acquisition aims to expand their client base and integrate advanced AI capabilities. Read more

AndzonBio2 Partners with Cambridge for AI Neuroinflammation Therapies

AndzonBio2 has announced a collaboration with the ALBORADA Drug Discovery Institute at the University of Cambridge and Cambridge Enterprise to develop AI-driven therapeutics for neuroinflammation. Read more

Aon Expands Global Reach of Claims Platform

On May 13, 2026, Aon announced the global rollout of Aon Claims Copilot, a platform designed to enhance data analytics in risk management. The platform is now available in North America, Asia Pacific, and several EMEA countries. Read more

Cellular Intelligence Acquires Rights to Novo Nordisk's Parkinson's Therapy

Cellular Intelligence has obtained global rights to Novo Nordisk's cell therapy for Parkinson's disease, aiming to enhance its development using AI. The therapy is in a Phase 1/2 trial and has FDA Fast Track Designation. Read more

Medicare Tests AI Payment Model with Pair Team

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has launched the ACCESS program to test a new AI-driven healthcare payment model, involving Pair Team among 150 participants, starting July 5, 2026. Read more

Natus Medical Creates Global EEG Advisory Board

Natus Medical Incorporated has formed a Global EEG Advisory Board to provide strategic input on AI-driven EEG technologies. The board, chaired by Dr. Brian Litt, aims to enhance patient care through innovation and collaboration. Read more

ELLKAY Appoints Lucky Singh as CTO

ELLKAY has appointed Lucky Singh as Chief Technology Officer to lead its AI strategy, focusing on healthcare data interoperability. Read more

GHX Launches AI Platform for Healthcare Supply Chains

Global Healthcare Exchange (GHX) has launched an AI-powered orchestration platform to enhance the efficiency of healthcare supply chain operations. The platform aims to help providers and suppliers manage disruptions and improve decision-making. Read more

AI Screening for Retinopathy of Prematurity in Mongolia

In a pioneering effort, Orbis International and Siloam Vision have initiated the use of AI to screen premature infants for retinopathy of prematurity in Mongolia, aiming to improve screening efficiency in regions with limited specialist access. Read more

ASGCT and OTXL Launch AI Marketplace for Therapy Programs

The American Society of Gene & Cell Therapy and Orphan Therapeutics Accelerator have introduced CGTxchange, an AI-enhanced platform to revive shelved cell and gene therapy programs by connecting them with funders and partners. Read more

Optura Raises $17.5 Million for AI Platform

Optura has secured $17.5 million in Series A funding from Salesforce Ventures and Echo Health Ventures to enhance its ROAI™ platform, which aids healthcare organizations in evaluating AI investments. Read more

CHEPLAPHARM Launches AI-Driven Supply Chain Initiative

The German pharmaceutical company CHEPLAPHARM has partnered with TraceLink to implement the Multienterprise Information Network Tower (MINT), aiming to digitalize and enhance its supply chain operations. Read more

Datar Cancer Genetics' CellDx-Tissue Gets FDA Clearance

Datar Cancer Genetics has received FDA clearance for its CellDx-Tissue assay, an AI-enhanced genomic profiling tool for solid tumors, aiding personalized cancer treatment. Read more

Urologic Health Secures $11M for AI Bladder Diagnostics

Urologic Health Inc. has raised $11 million in seed funding to advance its AI-driven niu™ System for non-invasive bladder function monitoring. The funds will aid in clinical validation, FDA processes, and U.S. commercialization. Read more

Zifo Launches AI Data Migration Solution for Biopharma Compliance

Zifo has introduced an AI-powered solution to automate data migration tasks in the biopharma industry, focusing on compliance and data integrity. Read more

Supreme Group Launches AI Model for Healthcare

Supreme Group has introduced Supreme Intelligence FDE+, a new AI model aimed at the healthcare and life sciences sectors. This model focuses on deploying industry-specific experts to tackle business challenges. Read more

Minset's mCoder Excels in Medical Coding Benchmark

Minset announced that its AI, mCoder, has achieved state-of-the-art performance on the MDACE benchmark, surpassing previous results in medical coding accuracy. Read more

EMA Wellness and Mira Analytics Partner for AI in Clinical Trials

EMA Wellness and Mira Analytics have announced a partnership to enhance AI-driven endpoint validation and rater surveillance in global CNS clinical trials, aiming to standardize data collection and improve trial reliability. Read more

Enlil Acquires Eight New MedTech Customers in Q1 2026

In the first quarter of 2026, Enlil secured eight new MedTech clients, including Vascular Perfusion Solutions, Verionyx, and iSono Health, transitioning them to its AI-powered traceability platform. Read more

Intuitive Surgical Reports Growth in Surgical Robotics Market

The surgical robotics market is growing, with Intuitive Surgical seeing a 23% revenue increase and 431 da Vinci systems installed globally in Q1 2026. The market is expected to reach up to $29 billion by 2030. Read more

Enlil Acquires Eight New MedTech Customers in Q1 2026

In the first quarter of 2026, Enlil secured eight new MedTech clients, marking a shift towards AI integration in the industry. Read more

Aton Health Reports Strong Q1 2026 Growth

Aton Health announced its Q1 2026 performance, achieving over 1,000 monthly patient enrollments and expanding its partnerships. The company attributes its growth to the TrialSight™ platform and new strategic initiatives. Read more

United Imaging Launches CE-Marked Radiotherapy System in Europe

United Imaging has introduced the CE-marked uRT-linac 506c at ESTRO 2026, aiming to enhance personalized cancer treatment with its integrated CT scanner and linear accelerator. Read more

Virtual Science AI Unveils AI Platform for Pharma Launches

Virtual Science AI has launched Medical Competitor AI, a platform to track competitor activities in the pharmaceutical sector, aiding in the success of new treatment launches. Read more

Swift Workforce AI Inc. Rebrands to Focus on Healthcare

Workforce AI startup vflok Inc. has rebranded as Swift Workforce AI Inc. to enhance its AI scheduling solutions for healthcare providers, aiming to improve scheduling efficiency and work-life balance for nursing teams. Read more

SIBIONICS Showcases AI in Diabetes Management at Shenzhen Summit

At the 4th AGP & DTx Summit in Shenzhen, SIBIONICS presented AI-driven advancements in diabetes management, with discussions on continuous glucose and ketone monitoring and digital therapies. Read more

Accuray and University of Wisconsin-Madison Partner for AI Cancer Treatment

Accuray and the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health have announced a 10-year partnership to enhance cancer treatments using AI-driven adaptive radiation therapy. Read more

AI Diagnostic Tool for Rural Spinal Care Presented

Aviraj Soin, a high school junior, showcased his AI-based diagnostic tool for spinal pain at the Dartmouth Rural Health Symposium, aiming to improve healthcare in rural areas. Read more

Ventra Health Appoints New CEO to Boost AI Strategy

Ventra Health has appointed David Sides as Chief Executive Officer, aiming to accelerate its AI strategy in healthcare. Read more

Truven Launches MarketScan Partner Ecosystem

Truven has introduced the MarketScan Partner Ecosystem to enhance AI-driven real-world evidence generation by integrating its databases with additional datasets from collaborators. Read more

SandboxAQ Integrates AI Models with Anthropic's Claude

SandboxAQ has integrated its Large Quantitative Models with Anthropic's Claude AI model to enhance drug discovery and materials science, providing a natural language interface for users. Read more

Ultima Genomics Appoints New VP for Genome Sequencing

Ultima Genomics has appointed Francisco De La Vega as Vice President to lead advancements in AI-enabled germline genome sequencing, aiming to enhance genetic disease insights and personalized medicine. Read more

Sanyou Biopharmaceuticals Upgrades AI-STAL Platform

Sanyou Biopharmaceuticals has announced an upgrade to its AI-STAL platform, enhancing its capabilities in drug discovery and development. Read more

Children's Mercy and Basepath Health Collaborate on AI for Therapies

Children's Mercy in Kansas City partners with Basepath Health to enhance AI-driven delivery of cell and gene therapies, aiming to improve treatment access for children with complex conditions. Read more

Enhanced Partners with Rezolve Ai for AI Technology

Enhanced has partnered with Rezolve Ai to develop AI-native technology for its Live Enhanced telehealth platform, aiming to boost consumer engagement and personalize performance protocols. Read more

UNC Greensboro Receives $2M for Bioindustrial Training Program

UNC Greensboro has been awarded $2 million to start NC BioMISSION, a program to train workers in biotechnology, data analytics, and machine learning, addressing a workforce shortage in North Carolina. Read more

InterVenn Biosciences Appoints New Board Members

InterVenn Biosciences has appointed Alec Ford and Mitch Levine to its Board of Directors to aid in the commercialization of AI-driven glycoproteomic diagnostics. Read more

OMNY Health Launches AI Oncology Product Suite

OMNY Health has expanded its healthcare data ecosystem, surpassing 175 million de-identified patient records, and launched the OMNY Foundation: Oncology product suite to enhance cancer research data. Read more

Vi Launches AI Suite and Secures $145M Funding

Vi has introduced AI agents for healthcare and completed a $145 million funding round, reaching a $1.64 billion valuation. Read more

Century Health Raises $5M for AI Clinical Data Platform

Century Health has secured $5 million in seed funding to expand its AI platform, CHARM, which automates clinical data curation. Read more

Azra AI Appoints Jessica Turgon to Board

Azra AI has appointed Jessica Turgon, an oncology expert, to its Board of Directors to enhance AI solutions in cancer care. Read more

Study Validates IgG Glycans as Aging Biomarker

A comprehensive study has confirmed IgG glycans as a biomarker for predicting mortality and shown that therapeutic plasma exchange can reduce biological age. Read more

Open Medicine Unveils AI Tool for Oncology

Open Medicine has launched a new platform with 'Living Algorithms' to aid clinicians in cancer treatment decisions, allowing real-time updates and sharing of treatment algorithms. Read more

Biotia Launches BIOTIA-DX for UTI Resistance Profiling

Biotia has introduced its BIOTIA-DX Resistance technology, enhancing the BIOTIA-ID Urine Test to offer rapid antimicrobial resistance profiling for complicated urinary tract infections. Read more

NeuroDiscovery AI Launches NeuroTerminal for Neurology Trials

NeuroDiscovery AI has introduced NeuroTerminal, a new platform aimed at improving clinical trial recruitment and patient access to neurological disorder therapies by leveraging extensive patient data. Read more

Flywheel Integrates with AWS HealthImaging for Clinical Trials

Flywheel has announced an integration with AWS HealthImaging to enhance the management of imaging data for clinical trials and AI development, aiming to standardize and validate data for research and clinical workflows. Read more

Verato Introduces Verato Identity Network at Health Summit

Verato has launched the Verato Identity Network™ (VIN) to boost AI adoption and interoperability in healthcare, aiming to improve patient care by enabling seamless identity recognition across partners. Read more

PrognoCIS and Global Payments Launch AI Payment Solution

PrognoCIS has partnered with Global Payments to introduce PrognoPay, an AI-driven payment solution. This initiative aims to improve financial and operational efficiency in healthcare by integrating payment processing into the EHR system. Read more

28bio Introduces CNS-3D Inflammatory Organoids

28bio has launched CNS-3D Inflammatory Organoids to evaluate the efficacy of anti-inflammatory drugs for neuroinflammation. This model aims to enhance therapy evaluation by replicating human neuroimmune interactions. Read more

Araceli Biosciences Unveils Endeavor® Live Cell for Drug Discovery

Araceli Biosciences has launched Endeavor® Live Cell, a system designed to enhance AI-driven drug discovery by providing rapid kinetic imaging for large-scale screening. This technology supports Lab-in-the-Loop workflows with quick and consistent cellular imaging data. Read more

Saile Raises $2.2 Million for Healthcare Staffing Platform

Saile has secured $2.2 million in pre-seed funding led by Matchstick Ventures to enhance its AI infrastructure and expand its healthcare staffing platform. Read more

InsideTracker Launches Terra AI Platform

InsideTracker has introduced Terra™, an AI platform aimed at offering personalized health guidance for wellness businesses by integrating multiple health data sources. Read more

Veeva Systems to Highlight AI at Boston Summit

Veeva Systems will host the Veeva Commercial Summit in Boston on May 19-20, featuring AI innovations and strategies for the biopharma sector with leaders from major companies. Read more

BIOTRONIK, Charité, and German Heart Center Partner for AI in Cardiology

On May 19, 2026, BIOTRONIK, Charité, and the German Heart Center Foundation announced a strategic partnership to advance AI in digital cardiology, including the establishment of a new professorship. Read more

Labbit Introduces AI Validation Assistant for Labs

Labbit has launched the Validation Assistant, an AI tool to automate test planning, execution, and documentation for system updates in regulated laboratories, aiming to streamline revalidation and improve efficiency. Read more

Shaman Launches AI Tool for Pharma Content Extraction

On May 18, 2026, Shaman introduced Shaman Atlas, an AI solution for converting pharmaceutical promotional materials into structured data. The launch will be highlighted at the Veeva Commercial & Medical Summit in Boston. Read more

Lean Business Services Joins Global Genomics Alliance

Lean Business Services, part of Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, has joined the Global Alliance for Genomics and Health to enhance the Kingdom's digital health and genomics sectors. Read more

Vortex Imaging Secures $12M for AI Ultrasound Tech

Vortex Imaging Inc. has raised $12 million to develop an AI-driven ultrasound imaging system. The funding will support the creation of a 3D volumetric imaging solution aimed at improving point-of-care diagnostics. Read more

ACROBiosystems Showcases AI Innovations in Zurich

ACROBiosystems held its Innovation Day in Zurich, focusing on AI advancements in biopharmaceuticals. Key discussions included AI applications in protein engineering. Read more

Mayo Clinic and Bayesian Health Develop AI for Palliative Care

The Mayo Clinic and Bayesian Health have introduced an AI tool to improve palliative care access for hospitalized patients, aiming to identify needs earlier and reduce readmissions. Read more

NIIMBL Funds AI Projects in Biopharmaceutical Manufacturing

NIIMBL has allocated $9.7 million to support eight projects focused on AI and machine learning in biopharmaceutical manufacturing. These initiatives aim to optimize processes and develop an AI-ready workforce in the U.S. Read more

Sino Biological Launches AI-Powered Protein Synthesis Kit

Sino Biological has introduced the XPressMAX™ Cell-Free Protein Synthesis Kit, aimed at enhancing AI-driven high-throughput screening for antibody drug discovery. The kit enables ultra-fast protein synthesis, reducing development timelines and costs. Read more

Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly Dominate GLP-1 Citations in AI

A report by 5W indicates that Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly are leading in GLP-1 citations within AI tools, capturing nearly all mentions in platforms like ChatGPT and Claude. The report underscores the role of peer-reviewed clinical data in achieving citation dominance. Read more

Genedata Introduces AI Platform for Drug Development

Genedata, a Danaher company, has launched Genedata Vico, an AI-native platform aimed at enhancing CMC processes in drug development and manufacturing. The platform is designed to improve data-driven experimentation and process monitoring. Read more

Autoimmunity BioSolutions Secures $1M Seed Funding Extension

Autoimmunity BioSolutions has raised an additional $1M in seed funding, bringing their total to $3.1 million. This funding will support their AI-driven therapy for autoimmune diseases. Read more

Varda and United Therapeutics Partner on Space Drug Formulation

Varda Space Industries and United Therapeutics have announced a collaboration to explore microgravity drug formulation for rare pulmonary diseases using Varda's orbital manufacturing platform. Read more

Ozelle Wins Gold at German Innovation Award

Ozelle has been awarded the Gold Award at the German Innovation Awards for its EHBT-50 Mini Lab, an AI-driven hematology analysis system designed for decentralized clinical use. Read more

Hippocratic AI Expands Leadership Team

Hippocratic AI has announced new executive appointments to strengthen its leadership in various departments as it scales its AI healthcare platform. Read more

Psynk AI Partners with Ocean View Hospital for AI Assistant

Psynk AI has partnered with Ocean View Psychiatric Hospital to introduce an AI psychiatric assistant aimed at improving clinical workflows and patient care in an inpatient setting. Read more

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BranchLab's $26M Boost, AI in Cancer Research, and Instacart's Rural Nutrition Push - Life AI Weekly #68

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