AI Enters Brain Science Digital Diagnostics: Chinese Firm Yiwei Medical Pioneers End-to-End Digital Solution for Brain Disorders and Files IPO

Brain Science Has Gained Significant Momentum in the Past Two Years.

In the scientific research community, a vast number of studies centered on the “brain” have emerged in rapid succession. Academician Mu-Ming Poo has publicly stated, “Brain science is at the forefront of scientific inquiry; it will remain a frontier discipline not only in this century but also in the next.”

The investment community has made ample preparations to compete for dominance in this field. As early as ten years ago, IDG Capital donated funds to establish the Tsinghua Brain Science Research Institute, and has increased its financial commitments in recent years. Prominent venture capital firms, including Sequoia China, DaoTong Capital, and Haier Capital, have also entered the brain science sector.

Amid the brain science boom, entrepreneurs have realized that the long-awaited window of opportunity has arrived.Dr. Wang Silun, from the Department of Radiology at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, is one of them.

Dr. Wang previously served as a clinician in the Department of Radiology at Peking University People’s Hospital. After completing his master’s and doctoral studies at the Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, he pursued advanced training in the Department of Radiology at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Dr. Wang has over ten years of research and clinical experience in the diagnosis of brain diseases. In 2017, Dr. Wang, then a Senior Scientist at Emory University in the United States, decided to resign and return to China, where he foundedDr. Brain。

The vast number of patients with brain diseases inevitably ensures a broad market prospect for the diagnosis of such conditions.

Taking Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia, as an example. In 2020, The Lancet Public Health, an international medical journal, published online a study on dementia among individuals aged 60 and older in China. The study showed that the number of patients with Alzheimer’s disease in China had alreadyUp to 9.83 million people. As the aging population intensifies, this figure continues to expand.

However, this neurodegenerative disease steals not only patients’ memories but also impairs their ability to perform activities of daily living. The vast number of affected individuals represents both a plight for individual families and a substantial societal cost of care.Early diagnosis offers the opportunity to control the disease at an early stage and delay its progression.

In addition, there are also such asAcute Cerebrovascular Diseases Such as Stroke, Cerebral Arteritis, and Cerebral Thrombosis, and can also be prevented in advance through brain neuroimaging diagnosis to avoid tragedies.

While working in the Department of Radiology at Peking University People's Hospital, Dr. Wang identified that existing imaging equipment still suffered from issues such as incomplete contrast enhancement and inaccurate reports. Furthermore, disease diagnosis requires comprehensive analysis based on multiple parameters, necessitating that radiologists integrate extensive medical knowledge related to diagnostics before finalizing an imaging diagnostic report. Consequently, the accuracy of these reports is also influenced by the physician’s individual experience.

The various pain points associated with existing equipment adversely affect both the accuracy and widespread adoption of imaging screening for brain diseases.

During his advanced studies at an overseas laboratory, Dr. Wang appreciated the synergy between AI and medical imaging. By leveraging vast databases and advanced artificial intelligence algorithms to generate diagnostic reports, it is possible to correct human variations arising from radiologists’ clinical experience or personal habits, thereby producing more objective, structured data. This approach effectively addresses the issue of inconsistent diagnostic quality in medical imaging across China.

After accumulating extensive research experience in AI-based screening for brain diseases overseas, Dr. Wang decided to return to China to start a business.In 2017, when the field of AI-based diagnosis of brain diseases in China was still a blank slate, Dr. Wang assembled his own team and began commercialization efforts.

Recalling the past, Dr. Wang was somewhat emotional: “Dr. Brain is among the earliest commercial teams in China to embark on digital healthcare solutions for brain science.“Driven by multi-layered market feedback, we have continuously innovated our products and business model to meet the demands of China’s healthcare and broader health industry.”

When Dr. Wang first returned to China, his primary objective was to fill the gap in the domestic market. Therefore, at that time, the product research and development at Dr. Brain were all aimed at achieving domestic substitution. By 2020, the "AI fever" swept across China, with a large number of AI imaging devices emerging. Dr. Wang believed that Dr. Brain had also reached the point ofTechnology-DriventoMarket Orientationthe turning point.

AI-based diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease is Dr. Brain’s longest-developed and most mature product pipeline, with its ease of adoption and high accuracy directly addressing market demands.

Since 2019, the National Health Commission has prioritized the prevention and intervention of Alzheimer’s disease. By 2022, increasing the initial screening rate for cognitive function among the elderly had become a mandatory requirement for healthcare systems across all regions.

Screening for Alzheimer’s disease is primarily categorized into invasive and non-invasive approaches. Invasive screening methods, such as β-amyloid (Aβ) positron emission tomography (PET) imaging (Aβ-PET), tau-PET imaging, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) Aβ and tau assays, offer high accuracy and rapid results. However, their widespread adoption is hindered by limited equipment availability, poor portability, and high costs. Furthermore, invasive procedures may cause patient reluctance and carry risks of complications.

Non-invasive screening methods primarily rely on scale-based assessments. Completing a single assessment scale typically takes 30–40 minutes. Due to the varying levels of cognitive comprehension and educational background among older adults, professional medical staff are often required to assist during the process. Given the current scarcity of medical and nursing resources in China, the feasibility of such screening approaches is limited. Furthermore, scale-based screening is highly susceptible to subjective bias; despite consuming substantial human and material resources, the accuracy of the resulting data remains quite limited.

Dr. Brain is currently the only company in China that provides full-process coverage across population screening, precision diagnosis, and digital rehabilitation.

On the hospital side, developed by Dr. BrainDr. Brain Intelligent Imaging Diagnosis PlatformBy leveraging population-based imaging databases, high-resolution MRI, and artificial intelligence technologies, the system comprehensively analyzes hundreds of millions of brain imaging features to accurately screen for and diagnose Alzheimer’s disease. Currently, this technology has completed China’s first Phase III clinical trial for Alzheimer’s disease, led by Xuanwu Hospital. Dr. Wang stated, “The ‘Dr. Brain’ system achieves a clinical diagnostic accuracy for Alzheimer’s disease exceeding 90%, significantly improving diagnostic precision in primary care hospitals. It represents a pioneering innovation in China and stands at the international forefront.”

At the community level, Dr. Brain has developed a more portable and cost-effectiveVR Eye-Tracking Cognitive Assessment System. Based on the characteristics of dementia, Dr. Brain utilizes VR technology to construct an immersive task-testing environment for subjects, wherein games such as firefly catching, supermarket shopping, and table tennis are completed via eye-tracking control. Subsequently, the system records and analyzes participants’ eye movement trajectories in real time during task execution to assess cognitive abilities including attention, abstraction, memory, calculation, and executive recall, thereby enabling patients to rapidly complete disease screening and diagnosis through gameplay. Currently, Dr. Brain’s eye-tracking screening system has obtained one of the first digital medical certifications for dementia in China.

Furthermore, Dr. Brain has also developed, based on VR technology,Cognitive Rehabilitation System, aiming to address the challenges in treating Alzheimer's disease.

Grounded in the theoretical framework of neurocognitive science, Dr. Brain has developed a digital rehabilitation training platform that integrates various cognitive stimulation and training modules. The platform primarily enhances specific brain cognitive functions—such as memory, attention, and executive function—through eye-tracking cognitive exercises combined with physical movement. Furthermore, by integrating with a VR eye-tracking cognitive assessment system, the platform establishes a “diagnosis-treatment-diagnosis” service model, providing patients with more precise rehabilitation solutions.Currently, this type of technology complies with the recommendations outlined in the National Health Commission’s “Chinese Guidelines for Cognitive Training (2022 Edition).”

As the nation places increasing emphasis on the screening, public awareness, and treatment of cognitive disorders, market-related supportive products for Alzheimer’s disease should promptly keep pace to meet demand. Dr. Wang stated, “By integrating AI imaging with digital therapeutics, Dr. Brain has become the only brain science healthcare company in the current market to offer a closed-loop digital solution for the screening, diagnosis, and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.”

After years of independent research and development, Dr. Brain has also developed a pipeline for central nervous system diseases, including stroke and white matter lesions, and has established a closed-loop medical service system covering “early screening, diagnosis, and treatment” through its three major platforms: Brain Doctor, RuiNao, and Digital Therapy.

Especially in light of the currentThe Stroke with the Highest Rates of Disability and Mortality, Dr. Brain has also developed the most advanced currently available on the marketAI-Assisted Diagnostic System. Leveraging AI-powered imaging technology, this system accurately outputs diagnostic indicators for stroke, assisting physicians in generating all necessary clinical diagnostic parameters and analytical results for various types of stroke. It effectively reduces treatment complexity and shortens surgical time, thereby improving cure rates. Currently, Dr. Brain’s AI-assisted diagnostic system for stroke has taken the lead in obtainingDual NMPA and FDA Certification。

Dr. Wang’s team’s forward-looking R&D philosophy has also enabled Dr. Brain to maintain a first-mover advantage among its peers.

Dr. Brain holds 10 medical device registration certificates, with its product portfolio covering various brain disorders such as dementia, stroke, white matter lesions, and cerebral small vessel disease. It is one of the companies with the highest number of device certifications in the brain science sector. The majority of its products are first-of-their-kind in China and have obtained CE and FDA certifications. Its most mature Alzheimer’s disease diagnostic pipeline has successfully completed the multi-center clinical trials required for the first NMPA Class III registration certificate for AI-assisted diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease globally.

Meanwhile, through collaborations with multiple renowned domestic healthcare institutions, Dr. Brain has acquired nearly 400,000 clinical cases and establishedChinese Brain Model Database, forming an irreplaceable competitive barrier.

Strong collaborative relationships with major healthcare institutions have enabled Dr. Brain to establish a dual-engine business model, achieving stable sales growth both within and outside hospital settings. Currently, Dr. Brain’s products haveImplemented in nearly 100 Grade A tertiary hospitals and health examination institutions across China, and has entered into strategic partnerships with multiple leading medical institutions.

Dr. Wang stated, “Dr. Brain will continue to enhance its innovation capabilities and advance multiple pipelines in parallel, striving to establish a closed-loop service system that closely aligns with the clinical needs for brain diseases in China in the near future.”