Acurion Unveils Rebrand, New Leadership Team, and Series A Fundraising Launch

LA JOLLA, Calif., April 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Acurion, formerly known as io9, today announced its official rebranding as part of a strategic initiative to align with its evolving mission and future vision. The transformation includes a refreshed brand identity and the appointment of a dynamic leadership team to drive the company's next phase of growth.

"io9—now Acurion—has a critical mission: to make precision medicine a reality for more cancer patients," said Scott Lippman MD., medical co-founder and Board member. "My colleagues and I witness the suffering that occurs in oncology every day because the journey from diagnosis to therapeutic selection is costly, time consuming, and confusing, causing life-threatening delays in front-line treatment. Much of the anguish of this uncertainty can be alleviated by providing oncologists with clinically actionable tumor genomic information, to ensure that every patient has access to the right treatment as quickly as possible, so they get the best chance at a positive outcome. There is no question that this approach is the future of precision oncology."

Featured on CNN's Global Innovations series, Acurion's DeepHRD artificial intelligence platform, OncoGaze^™, is a transformative approach to precision oncology that enables rapid identification of the genomic biomarkers used to determine precision therapies, directly from routine tumor biopsy slides. This reduces the time from diagnosis to curative first-line treatment from weeks to mere seconds and makes the approach readily accessible worldwide. "Acurion's approach is truly paradigm-shifting", said Web Cavenee, Ph.D., scientific co-founder and Board member. "The promise of precision medicine has been hampered by the tissues and time needed for genomic analysis. Its cost also limits access and is an increasing concern for healthcare payers. OncoGaze addresses each of these issues."

Not only does OncoGaze deliver insights instantaneously and affordably—it is also proven to be remarkably more accurate than FDA-approved genomic testing, identifying complex molecular patterns hidden in the tissue architecture of tumors, often undetectable even by molecular assays. Acurion's AI technology is the only one of its kind to have been in the coveted Journal of Clinical Oncology and it has been well received by the oncology community, signaling growing excitement about this approach. Bringing this to market for patient benefit will be in the hands of an experienced and passionate team.

New Leadership Team

Acurion has appointed a world-class team of executives with deep expertise in life sciences, technology, and finance to accelerate its mission of innovation in precision oncology:

Rick Fultz, Chief Executive Officer – A veteran in the life sciences industry, Fultz has spent 15 years guiding companies toward growth allowing them to deliver value to patients and healthcare systems. His strategic vision and business development expertise will be key in guiding Acurion forward.

Feng Cao Ph.D., Chief Operating Officer – An expert in operational management, Cao will oversee the company's commercial growth as well as regulatory and reimbursement strategy.

Ludmil Alexandrov, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer – A leading figure in cancer genomics, Alexandrov will direct Acurion's scientific initiatives, advancing precision medicine and oncology research.

Erik Bergstrom Ph.D., Chief Technology Officer – With extensive experience in computational biology and AI, Bergstrom leads platform development at Acurion and led development of OncoGaze as a postdoctoral researcher in Dr. Alexandrov's lab.

Shelly Vandertie, Vice President of Finance – Vandertie brings deep expertise in financial strategy and planning, overseeing Acurion's financial operations and growth planning.

"I am thrilled to welcome Rick Fultz as CEO," said Magda Marquet, Ph.D., co-founder and board chair. "Rick is a dynamic, high-energy leader who is deeply committed to advancing patient care. He brings a wealth of experience in commercial operations, business development, and international relations, which will be invaluable to our mission. In a short time, he has assembled an outstanding management team and forged key partnerships in both academia and industry. We are excited for the impact his leadership will have on Acurion's growth and success."

"I am honored to lead Acurion during this important stage," said Rick Fultz, CEO. "I am in awe of our exceptional scientists, clinicians, board members, and staff, and I am truly humbled to work alongside such a dedicated team on this important mission. Many aspects of this opportunity stood out to me, but none more than the chance to work with our inventor, Dr. Ludmil Alexandrov. As one of the most highly cited and influential computational AI biologists in the world, Ludmil is a standout talent even among the many brilliant minds at UCSD. Working with him feels like catching an ascending rocket by the tail. Together with our team and advisors, we are positioned to drive meaningful advancements in precision oncology."

Series A Fundraising Launch
With its leadership team in place, Acurion is focused on expanding partnerships with academic institutions, patient advocacy groups, molecular profiling and industry leaders. The company will officially launch its Series A fundraising on April 15^th to support its continued growth and innovation.

About Acurion
Acurion is revolutionizing frontline cancer care by equipping oncologists with critical genomic activity insights to get cancer patients onto the right treatments faster. The company's mission is to accelerate the translation of its life-saving AI technology into the clinical arena to make a real, immediate and profound difference in therapy for patients worldwide. 

Dedicated to improving patient outcomes, Acurion collaborates with leading research institutions, patient advocacy groups, and industry partners to advance precision oncology. Please visit www.acurionhealth.com to learn more.

Media Contact:
Catherine Eng
Acurion, Inc.
[email protected]
818-795-7184

SOURCE Acurion