Olympus is launching what it describes as its first in a series of artificial intelligence-powered applications bound for the U.S., starting with a program designed to assist in detecting polyps during colonoscopies.
With the Olysense platform, the company aims to build an intelligent endoscopy system that can integrate with other hospital data. It will serve as the base for Caddie—a play on computer-aided detection (CADe)—with cloud-based software for picking out precancerous colorectal polyps and adenomas in recorded video.
“With the Olysense platform, we are taking a meaningful step forward in helping patients receive early, accurate diagnoses,” Keith Boettiger, Olympus’ head of gastrointestinal solutions, said in a statement. “Our goal is simple: to give clinicians the advanced tools that make it easy to find and assess challenging lesions early, make confident, informed decisions and provide their patients with the best possible care.”
According to the company, a randomized clinical trial across eight hospitals in Europe found that Caddie was able to increase detection rates across different lesion types compared to standard unassisted colonoscopy, including those difficult to spot with the human eye and those at the highest risk of developing into cancer.
Among large polyps, greater than 10 millimeters in size, Caddie logged a 136% relative increase in detection, as well as a 93% gain in similarly large adenomas. The program also significantly increased the detection of small adenomas, at or under 5 mm, by 29%.
Meanwhile, in flat, low-profile adenomas, the AI increased detection by 57%, while rates for sawtooth-like sessile serrated lesions improved by 230%. The study also showed no increase in the number of unnecessary biopsies or extractions.
Caddie will link with Olympus’ Evis X1 and Exera III endoscopy systems, providing clinicians with immediate access via a software update, the company said. It will compete directly with the GI Genius program, developed by Cosmo Pharmaceuticals and distributed by Medtronic.
Olympus acquired Caddie—which was cleared by the FDA in July 2024—through its 2023 purchase of the GI-AI developer Odin Vision, for about $79 million. The U.K.-based outfit was spun out of University College London.
Last year also saw Odin collect CE Mark approvals for Caddie as well as its Cadu and SmartIBD endoscopy programs in Europe—the latter two for analyzing patients with Barrett's esophagus and ulcerative colitis, respectively.
Olympus said it plans to add new programs to its Olysense platform over the long term.