Menarini Partners with VisualDx to Identify BPDCN

The Menarini Group (“Menarini”), a leading international pharmaceutical and diagnostics company, and Stemline Therapeutics, Inc. (“Stemline”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Menarini Group focused on bringing transformational oncology treatments to cancer patients, announced that they are collaborating with VisualDx to enhance identification of people who may have BPDCN. This is an example of innovative companies working together to bring artificial intelligence/machine learning (AI/ML) tools to help identify BPDCN as a possible early differential diagnosis. The project includes leveraging actual images of BPDCN skin lesions and AI/ML technologies incorporated into the VisualDx platform. The AI model is now live within VisualDx.

VisualDx is a physician-led company committed to improving medical decision-making, medical education and research. The VisualDx tool is a clinical decision support system used by more than 2,300 hospitals, clinics, and medical schools around the world. The software includes a comprehensive database of clinical images, submitted through partnerships with learning institutions and others, and vetted by clinicians, to assist healthcare professionals to identify skin concerns across all skin types. Through the AI image search, clinicians can better understand different skin conditions with the goal of supporting patients to get more accurate diagnoses throughout their care journeys.

BPDCN is an aggressive orphan hematologic malignancy with a historically poor prognosis (approximately 8.7 to 14 months post diagnosis) that typically presents skin lesions and can also involve the bone marrow, blood, central nervous system, lymph nodes and viscera. Dermatologists may be the first to recognize the signs of BPDCN and biopsy suspicious lesions. Pathologists can then test for BPDCN by testing for certain biomarkers which are highly expressed on BPDCN cells. Tagraxofusp-erzs is the only approved treatment for patients with BPDCN, and the first and only approved CD123-targeted therapy, in the United States, Europe and other global regions.

“BPDCN is a rare and clinically aggressive hematologic malignancy, often presenting with cutaneous lesions. Due to its aggressive nature and the immature cell involvement, the prognosis can be poor if not treated promptly,” said Marina Konopleva, MD, Phd, Professor, Molecular Pharmacology, Director, Leukemia Program and Co-Director, Blood Cancer Institute, at Montefiore Einstein. “Early diagnosis plays a critical role in improving patient outcomes, and emerging AI/ML technologies may offer valuable support in the differential diagnosis and early identification of BPDCN.”

“BPDCN often first presents as a skin lesion and usually has a poor prognosis. There is a dire need for early diagnosis so that patients may access appropriate treatment options,” said Elcin Barker Ergun, CEO of the Menarini Group. “We are delighted to collaborate with VisualDx to provide healthcare teams with a tool using the latest artificial intelligence/machine learning (AI/ML) technology to help interpret challenging skin lesions.”

VisualDx does not store any images uploaded by clinicians taking a picture of their patients’ skin exams. This helps maintain the patient’s privacy.