OptoTree, created as a collaboration between Joslin Diabetes Center and Vasculomics® Holdings Group, LLC, is focusing on Retina Diseases, initially targeting Early Detection of Diabetic Retinopathy (DR).

Joslin’s Beetham Eye Institute is a global thought leader in diabetes and diabetic retinopathy. Joslin has access to thousands of accessible diabetic patients to participate in clinical trials and vast experience managing clinical trials and regulatory approvals processes.

Joslin will become the first user of OptoTree’s DR diagnostic biomarkers, initially at the Beetham Eye Institute (~30,000 yearly retina exams) and later, in their telehealth network – the Joslin Vision Network (over 120 domestic and international sites).  This deployment and support will automatically analyze, monitor and grade patient retinas relative to the progression stage of Diabetic Retinopathy, a process currently conducted by trained graders.

OptoTree’s business model will be to use its proprietary DR diagnostic biomarkers to interpret and assess patient retina micro-vascular image datasets acquired with optical coherence tomography angiography (OCT-A) scanners.

OptoTree plans to offer its Retina Vasculomics® Biomarkers Platform as a cloud-based service to enable OCT-A equipped doctors, clinics, hospitals and pharmacy-based clinics to test, monitor, develop treatment plans and administer therapeutics to patients with Diabetes and DR.

In the longer term, OptoTree intends to also provide data informatics services derived from its micro-vascular image and biomarker data archives to pharmaceutical companies, research organizations, government (state and federal) healthcare organizations, Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs), Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) and Medicare Advantage plans.