August 23, 2022 – Augnition Labs announced today that the National Institute on Aging (NIA) part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has awarded the company a Small Business Innovation Research grant to develop and scale its AI-backed Augmem™ Platform.
The Augmem™ cognitive testing platform is being developed to provide rapid, reliable and objective assessment of cognitive decline during the earliest stages of Alzheimer’s Diseases, and prior to clinical symptom onset. The Direct-to-Phase-2 grant, awarded to projects that have a demonstrated proof of concept, will be used to develop and scale the commercial grade software, and train AI models for predicting subtle impairments based on cognitive and biomarker profiles.
To precisely track memory performance, Augmem™ tests for pattern separation capabilities. As pattern separation is required to create, store and retain unique memories of similar experiences, a reduction in these capabilities is an early indicator of cognitive decline. By harnessing this knowledge, Augmem™ is sensitive to even the most subtle shifts in cognition.
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) impacts over 6.5 million Americans, with a new diagnosis every 65 seconds. The establishment of early cognitive and biological indicators of AD can have a transformative impact on clinical care, as early diagnosis and intervention are critical for therapeutics to be maximally effective.
Co-founder, Dr. Michael Yassa notes that “when we think about Alzheimer’s disease, memory loss comes first. Sensitive detection of memory changes is key to clinical trial success, early intervention, improving outcomes, and enhancing quality of life”. The team believes Augmem™ has the potential to dramatically improve healthcare systems’ ability to monitor the cognitive health of patients at risk for AD leading to more effective treatment protocols and better health outcomes for patients.
About Augnition Labs
Augnition Labs was launched in 2020 with the mission of developing AI-powered digital assessment and monitoring solutions for early detection of cognitive decline. Augnition’s lead technology, the Augmem™ platform, provides precise and accurate tracking of memory performance. Our technology is a world leader in earlier detection and monitoring of memory loss, supporting better outcomes, lower costs and prolonged quality of life.
