New Startup CARA Systems Launches to Improve Diagnosis and Treatment of Aneurysms

TOV is excited to announce the launch of CARA Systems, a new startup developing a dynamic, non-invasive tool that will allow physicians to quickly assess the risk of intracranial aneurysms to aid in diagnosis and treatment. The company was founded by Prithvinath Reddy Garigapuram (Tandon, ’23) and Srushti Rajendra Katore (Tandon, ’23), both graduate students at NYU Tandon School of Engineering. This endeavor is supported by Dr. Kurt Becker, professor emeritus and vice dean of the Institute for Invention, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship at NYU Tandon.

According to the Brain Aneurysm Foundation, an estimated 6.7 million people in the United States, or 1 in 50 people, have an unruptured Intracranial Aneurysm (IA); a bulging on the artery’s wall produced by the weakening of the muscles within the vascular wall. A ruptured aneurysm in the brain can result in a stroke, serious bleeding, increased pressure on the brain, and death. Clinical risk assessment conventionally relies on invasive procedures, which can be burdensome and often unnecessary due to diagnostic uncertainty. In recent years, technological advancements in medical imaging have been used in non-invasive risk assessment of IA, but those methods are time-consuming and require technical expertise. There is a critical need to bridge the gap between conventional invasive procedures and the limitations of emerging technology.

Using patient data inputs collected from standard CT and ultrasound scans, CARA Systems’ software automates image processing and data analysis and uses predictive modeling to provide healthcare teams with a customized assessment that can be used for the determination of the IA’s risk of rupture, progression, growth, and other factors. The information provided by the system can guide clinicians in developing a diagnosis and customized treatment plan. 

“Our goal is to provide more intrinsic data to medical professionals so that they can draw conclusions based on evidence of each patient’s specific inputs, and have more control over the use of invasive procedures,” said Katore. “Helping doctors make better-informed decisions will result in overall improved patient outcomes and save costs, which has been an important driver as we’ve worked towards this startup launch.”

“In today’s technology-driven world, evidence-based data assessments are valuable to risk stratify complex patient diagnoses for surgeons to make informed decisions about interventions,” said Reddy Garigapuram. “We are developing our technology for clinical use to bring its benefits to clinicians, patients, and healthcare providers all around the world. We are excited to take this next step in bringing it to the market.”

CARA Systems has worked closely with TOV to file a patent on their innovation and license the intellectual property from the University. The founders participated in the NYU Tandon’s Future Labs’ Catalyst NYC program and in the NYU Entrepreneurial Institute’s NYU Tech Venture Workshop Summer 2023 Cohort, and reached the semi-final round of the NYU Berkley Center’s 2024 Entrepreneurs Challenge. They also participated in the NSF Innovation Corps (I-Corps^TM) National Teams Winter 2024 Cohort with over twenty other teams from around the country.

Following the launch, CARA Systems plans to continue the development of its prototype, outlining important biomarkers that contribute to the progression and development of aneurysms over time and improving its AI modeling, working with NYU Langone and other medical institutions across the US to collect additional patient data to improve the system’s prediction model. The company is currently a pre-seed startup raising capital by targeting various funding opportunities such as SBIR and STTR grants and other research and entrepreneurial funding opportunities. They are poised to launch their MVP by the summer of 2024, initiate clinical trials, and expand collaborations with medical institutions.