Siriraj Hospital ties up with CARIVA for new medical breakthroughs

The partnership, announced on Friday, has yielded four key innovations aimed at propelling Thailand’s medical industry and bolstering its position as a global medical hub.

The four initiatives are:

• SiCar AI Lab: Focused on constructing a testing platform and accelerating the development of medical AI models. The project’s aim is to empower startups with anonymized health data, enhance AI capabilities, and drive progress in healthcare. The initiative also aims to foster a thriving medical AI startup ecosystem in Thailand.

• Imaging Study Recommender: Collaborating with Siriraj’s Department of Radiology, this endeavour centres on AI solutions for interpreting medical images. This includes measuring organs and tumour volumes, alongside an imaging study recommendation. CARIVA’s AI system, which is capable of deconstructing, colouring and presenting 3D images, radiologists do not just significantly reduce analysis time, but can also efficiently diagnose conditions. The AI system further extends to offer personalised recommendations for radiological examinations with a remarkable 96% rate of accuracy.

• Genomics Business Project: Partnering with the Siriraj Genomics Centre, the project aims to advance gene-coded cancer risk assessment through high-precision technology. This partnership also extends to the Siriraj Long-Read Lab, enhancing research with long-read DNA sequencing technology. This has resulted in the development of innovative products like NanoPGx for detailed testing of drug allergy genes and Preemptive-101 for gene screening to pre-empt disease risks. Both products are in the research and development phase, while CARIVA is also creating user-friendly data processing systems for B2B customers.

• Partnership with the Service Value Driving Centre: Serving as a launchpad for startup development, this initiative translates medical innovations into practical business applications. By fostering creativity through design-thinking activities, the platform aligns solutions with real needs. It also provides guidance in both business and technological aspects, enhancing team expertise and facilitating long-term business growth.

Dr Prof Apichat Asavamongkolkul, dean of the Faculty of Medicine at Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, underscored the structural shift in Thai society, marked by an ageing population and rapid urbanisation.

He also highlighted the shifting healthcare trend, adding that Siriraj Hospital is embracing innovative collaborations to co-create advancements in areas like AI and health biotechnology.

“Relying solely on medical expertise may not prove to be the most efficient approach in addressing health conditions in the future. Healthcare institutions must work on integrating knowledge, specialised skills and existing information with novel innovations. Siriraj Hospital is working in this direction,” he said.

“This approach also yields other benefits such as heightened precision in medical diagnoses, improved medical care capabilities, and better planning of a medical treatment that suits individual requirements. Ultimately, the initiative serves as a breeding ground for the emergence of medical AI startups and MedTech startups that originated in a domain that directly specialises in medicine,” he said.

Natruedee Khositaphai, executive vice president of PTTEP's Technology and Carbon Solutions Group and a member of ARV's board of directors, underscored Thailand’s digital transformation fuelled by cutting-edge technology.

“The convergence of global health focus and continuous technological progress fuels rapid expansion in the global medical innovation sector,” she said.

“The medical industry is part of Thailand’s new S-curve line of industries pushed by the government. Our global reputation as a trusted destination for treatment and healthcare further solidifies our position. The government’s 2017-2026 ‘medical hub’ development strategy is a testament to this.”

Siwadol Matayakul, CEO and co-founder of CARIVA (Thailand) Co Ltd, also stressed the importance of giving all Thais equal access to comprehensive treatment. He said CARIVA was committed to advancing digital healthcare solutions and tailored medical AI technology, by creating health applications tailored to hospital needs and integrating data from diverse devices.

It also focuses on enhancing doctors’ decision-making processes and implementing holistic healthcare approaches.

“By combining CARIVA's specialised expertise in technology, platforms and AI with Siriraj Hospital’s profound medical knowledge, a transformative partnership is poised to reshape and revolutionise the medical industry's landscape,” he added.