Leeds AI spinout adsilico raises £10M to test medical devices on virtual patients

A University of Leeds spinout has secured £10 million in Series A funding, led by PXN Ventures, to grow its AI-based simulation tools for medical device makers. The company, adsilico, develops technology that lets manufacturers evaluate implant performance using virtual patient models before clinical trials.

The platform, Virtual Chimera, uses generative AI to create synthetic hearts and blood vessels from anonymized clinical scans. Combined with physics-based simulations, these models allow testing across different patient profiles—varying in age, sex, ethnicity, and medical conditions. According to reporting from tech. eu, current clinical trials for devices like heart valves and stents often involve only a few hundred participants, making it hard to account for real-world anatomical diversity. Recruiting a broader range of test subjects can be expensive and slow, potentially leaving gaps in how devices perform for underrepresented groups.

adsilico’s approach aims to help manufacturers make earlier design decisions, such as determining device sizes or identifying higher-risk patient profiles. The company has already worked with makers of heart valves and neurovascular devices, and its cardiac research is scheduled for presentation at TCT, a conference focused on structural heart innovations.

Sheena Macpherson, adsilico’s CEO and co-founder, said the lack of diverse testing can leave patients uncertain about whether a device will work for them. The company argues its simulations could give manufacturers earlier insight into how anatomical differences affect device performance, potentially avoiding costly redesigns or patient safety issues later.

The company also intends to hire more staff as it explores additional therapeutic areas. While other startups are using AI for medical simulations, adsilico’s focus on device performance—rather than drug development—may help it stand out.

The raise comes as healthtech investors show interest in tools that could streamline clinical trials and regulatory processes. Recent StartupReader coverage included Scarlet’s $50 million Series B to speed up certification for AI and software medical devices, as well as Vectorial’s $3 million seed round for AI-simulated user testing. adsilico’s work, however, centers on the anatomical complexities of medical devices, where small physiological differences can significantly impact outcomes.

For device manufacturers, the appeal of such platforms could lie in their potential to reduce early-stage testing costs. While not a substitute for clinical validation, simulations might help identify design flaws before they reach patients. The question, as with any AI-driven simulation, is whether the virtual models will prove reliable enough for real-world use—a challenge that may require further validation and regulatory review.

What remains to be seen is how far adsilico can extend its technology beyond cardiac and neurovascular devices. Its ability to show clear benefits in trial efficiency or device safety could influence its adoption among manufacturers. For now, the £10 million funding round marks it as a company worth tracking in the growing field of AI and medical device innovation.

Sources: tech.eu