Google, Cue Health partner to track respiratory viral variants

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Cue Health is collaborating with Google Cloud to add respiratory viral variant sequencing and tracking to its Cue Integrated Care platform, the company announced Wednesday.

San Diego-based Cue said it will build Google Cloud’s artificial intelligence, machine learning, analytics, and privacy and security tools into its platform, which includes its Cue Health Monitoring System and rapid molecular COVID-19 test.

Cue said it will integrate the cloud-connected COVID-19 information in its platform with sequencing data and artificial intelligence tools which “will equip public health officials and researchers with critical, real-time information about variant types … and predictive capabilities to help identify and curb emerging threats.” 

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The integration is also intended to help in future outbreaks of infectious diseases and pandemics beyond COVID-19, including influenza and respiratory syncytial virus. Cue is currently developing tests for both influenza and RSV, it added.  

“Together with Google Cloud, we can combine immediate and connected lab-quality diagnostics with the power of genome sequencing and AI-enabled predictive capabilities to develop a new kind of tool for public health,” Cue CEO and Co-founder Ayub Khattak said in a statement. 

 “Through this collaboration, we’re bringing Google Cloud’s expertise in data analytics, AI, and [machine learning] to Cue, helping them to reach even more communities and have an even greater impact in helping to identify, predict, and mitigate the spread of infectious diseases,” Janet Kennedy, vice president of North America Regions at Google Cloud, added in a statement.  

Last month, Cue filed documents with the US Securities and Exchange Commission to go public, seeking up to $100 million in a proposed initial public offering.  

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This story first appeared in our sister publication, Genomeweb.