Seoul-based healthcare start-up Mediwhale is developing an AI-powered non-invasive retina scan to diagnose a range of disorders using retinal photographs. The company's first product, Reti CVD, assesses cardiovascular disease (CVD) patients' CVD risks based on an AI-powered retinal diagnostic solution that offers results within a few minutes. Early detection and assessment of CVD risks enable users to begin statin therapy early in CVD intermediate and high-risk groups. In contrast to traditional methods such as computerized cardiac tomography scans that are expensive, have long wait times, and come with high-dose radiation exposure, Reti CVD uses non-invasive and accessible equipment to detect CVD risks in primary care settings. Mediwhale co-founder and CEO, Kevin Choi, said the company's platform provides results similar in precision to the more invasive and radiation-heavy CT scanners that doctors use to predict CVD.

"Mediwhale's technology provides a way to diagnose health risks early, even before symptoms appear", said Choi in an interview with TechCrunch. "My own experience of being diagnosed with glaucoma at a young age motivated me to start the company".

According to research cited in Nature Communications, "Artificial intelligence in retina scans outperformed assays in diagnosing dementia (and associated pathologies)". Thus, there is a growing need for and interest in AI-based ophthalmology solutions such as those being developed by Mediwhale.

Mediwhale’s Reti CVD solution recently received a temporary reimbursement code for Korean national insurance, enabling doctors in primary care hospitals to use it officially to treat CVD patients for the next two years. Mediwhale expects to submit additional clinical data and obtain a permanent code in Summer 2021. Reti CVD provides an affordable and effective alternative to traditional methods of cardiovascular testing. Although MediWhale is focusing on South Korea, where it serves as a test bed, it intends to apply for FDA clearance and expand its insurance coverage in the US. Alphabet's Verily and Digital Diagnostics formerly known as IDx are two companies that are also using AI-based technology to diagnose medical conditions.