Indian AI drug discovery firm gets $1M to focus on rare diseases

Peptris Technologies from Bangalore, India has received $1 million in pre-seed funding in a round led by Speciale Invest.

In a statement, the AI-driven drug discovery company said it will use its fresh funds to expand its research scope to cover rare diseases, adding to its existing work in cancer and inflammation. 

Cipla raises stake in digital pharma solutions provider GoApptiv

Indian pharmaceutical giant Cipla has increased its stake in GoApptiv by Rs 420 million ($5 million) to 22.99%. 

It has further invested in the company, which develops end-to-end digital solutions for pharmaceutical firms, as part of its efforts to penetrate underserved communities across India and help enhance access to medications. 

Canadian insurtech Lydia AI targets South Korea

Lydia AI, a Canada-based health insurance AI company, has recently signed technology integration partnerships in South Korea.

It has formalised its ongoing collaboration with Hecto Data; they are piloting a smart data ecosystem within insurer Metlife Korea's 360Health application. 

The Canadian insurtech has also entered into a new partnership with Tobecon to integrate its predictive AI capability into insurance software.

 Ubie to launch Android version of AI symptom checker app in the US

Japanese startup Ubie is preparing to launch the Android version of its AI-enabled symptom checker app in the United States. 

The mobile symptom checker, whose AI capability was recently recognised at Google Play's Best of 2023 Awards, supports users in identifying their symptoms and connects them with the right healthcare provider. It is now used over 100 million times since 2020; since launching in the US last year, it has more than two million uses to date.