Groundbreaking study could create early diagnosis for multiple sclerosis

Canary Speech and Intermountain Ventures have partnered to launch a study aimed at identifying multiple sclerosis using vocal biomarkers. This Institutional Review Board-approved research uses pioneering techniques to explore how vocal patterns can be early indicators of MS. 

Using Canary Speech’s groundbreaking AI technology, the study could potentially lead to a transformation in the way the disease is detected and monitored.

Dr. Timothy West, a neurologist at Intermountain Health’s Salt Lake Clinic, will direct the project. He will collect and analyze voice samples from patients to determine if the technology can identify individuals with MS through vocal features alone.

“The ability to use voice to identify MS would offer a quick, non-invasive screening tool, enabling us to deliver faster care to patients,” West said. “We’re thrilled to collaborate with Canary Speech and leverage their innovative technology in this pioneering study.”

Nearly 3 million people around the world are affected by MS, with diagnosis often being a lengthy, complex process that involves invasive tests and MRI scans. Delays in care are often common due to the diagnostic challenges, so early detection is vital to halt central nervous system damage and improve long-term outcomes.

Canary Speech aims to create a faster, less-invasive and more accessible alternative to current diagnostic methods. The company’s technology has achieved previous success in identifying neurodegenerative diseases like Huntington’s, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. That research will now be applied in this study, which could enable early detection of MS, significantly improving outcomes and quality of life.

“We chose to work with Intermountain Health because they are leading the way in adopting innovative technologies to serve their patients better,” said Henry O’Connell, co-founder and CEO of Canary Speech. “Partnering on this critical study will hopefully allow us to screen for MS earlier and improve the quality of care for millions of patients.”

Canary Speech is a Provo-based, AI-powered voice biomarker health tech company, utilizing its analysis to screen for all types of mental health and neurological disorders. By studying speech data, the technology has often caught problems before noticeable symptoms occur. For more information, visit CanarySpeech.com.

Through the partnership with Intermountain Health, Canary Speech can tap into the health care provider’s vast network of clinics and physicians, finding ways to advance its speech and language applications across health systems, patients and pharmaceutical markets.

Its clinical decision support software provides insights from patient-clinician conversations by tracking speech patterns for real-time assessments of cognitive and behavioral health conditions. Intermountain Health is headquartered in Utah, with 24 hospitals, 400 clinics and 4,600 physicians and care providers. To learn more, visit Intermountainhealthcare.org.