Pittsburgh Startup Revolutionizes Cancer Trials with Acquisition by California Firm
Pittsburgh Post-gazette2 weeks ago
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Pittsburgh Startup Revolutionizes Cancer Trials with Acquisition by California Firm

Healthcare Startups
realyze
cartahealthcare
cancertrials
healthcareinnovation
upmc
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Summary:

  • Realyze Intelligence Inc. acquired by Carta Healthcare, enhancing cancer trial matching.

  • Founded by Aaron Brauser and Gilan El Saadawi, both seasoned entrepreneurs from M*Modal.

  • $3.4 million in investment capital generated with 12 employees as of February.

  • Part of CancerX Startup Accelerator under President Biden’s cancer initiative.

  • Achieved 7x more patient matches for clinical trials at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center.

A Major Acquisition in Cancer Research

A Bakery Square startup, Realyze Intelligence Inc., which specializes in matching cancer patients with clinical trials, has been acquired by Carta Healthcare based in San Francisco. This acquisition was announced on Monday and marks a significant milestone for the company, which is part of the UPMC Enterprises portfolio.

Founders with a Proven Track Record

Founded in 2020 by CEO Aaron Brauser and Chief Medical Officer Gilan El Saadawi, both of whom are veterans of M*Modal, Realyze has quickly made its mark in the healthcare sector. M*Modal was acquired by 3M for $1 billion in 2018, highlighting the founders' strong credentials in the industry.

Impressive Growth and Recognition

As of February, Realyze employed 12 people and had generated $3.4 million in investment capital. The company was also part of the inaugural class of the CancerX Startup Accelerator, aligning with President Joe Biden’s initiative to reduce the U.S. cancer death rate by half over the next 25 years.

Transforming Clinical Trials

Carta Healthcare CEO Brent Dover expressed admiration for Realyze’s innovative approach, which combines AI with a human-in-the-loop methodology to enhance insights from clinical data for trials and registries. An internal analysis showed that UPMC Hillman Cancer Center experienced seven times more patients matched to clinical trials and twice as many enrollments due to Realyze's software. Given that 2 million people are diagnosed with cancer annually in the U.S., yet only 5% to 6% participate in clinical trials, the impact of Realyze’s technology is significant.

Continuing Momentum for UPMC Enterprises

Realyze is the third company to be acquired from UPMC Enterprises this year, following the exits of Signallamp and UPMC’s teleconsult technology platform. This trend underscores the growing influence and success of UPMC Enterprises in the healthcare innovation space.

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Kris B. Mamula has been a health care business reporter for the Post-Gazette since 2015, bringing insightful coverage to the evolving landscape of healthcare startups.

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