Alibaba’s AI cancer detection device gets FDA green light for faster approval process

By Berk Kutay Gokmen

ISTANBUL (AA) – An artificial intelligence-powered cancer detection tool from Chinese tech giant Alibaba has gotten a green light from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), paving the way for expedited review and approval.

Alibaba announced that the FDA has granted “breakthrough device” designation to its research group’s Damo Panda model, the South China Morning Post reported Sunday.

The AI tool, designed to detect pancreatic cancer, was first introduced in November 2023 through a paper published in the journal Nature Medicine.

According to the study, the model is capable of detecting early-stage pancreatic cancer in asymptomatic patients, which could be very valuable, as the pancreas’ place deep within the body often masks the cancer’s presence.

Panda is a deep learning model trained on abdominal non-contrast computed tomography (CT) scans from 3,208 pancreatic cancer patients. Researchers from Alibaba’s Damo Academy reported the model demonstrated 34.1% higher sensitivity than radiologists in identifying the disease.

The Damo Panda model has already been deployed in clinical trials across China. At a hospital in the eastern city of Ningbo, the tool screened 40,000 people and identified six early-stage cases of pancreatic cancer – including two missed during routine examinations, according to Alibaba.

Damo Academy plans to further develop the AI model both in China and internationally by collaborating with companies such as Ankon Medical Technologies, according to Alibaba.