Imaging Tech Wins Photonics for Health Grant

Early-stage medical device company Lightpoint Medical and Sagentia Technology & Product Development have received a £125,000 ($200,000) grant from the Photonics for Health Competition to develop a molecular imaging technology for breast cancer surgery.

The competition, sponsored by the UK government agency the Technology Strategy Board (TSB), recognizes "projects that apply innovative photonics technologies to challenges in the health sector."

Lightpoint's molecular imaging technology is based on Cerenkov luminescence imaging, which combines the advantages of optical imaging with the power of positron emission tomography (PET) imaging, the company said. It has the potential to detect cancer in real time during surgery, providing more accurate treatment while sparing healthy tissue.

"Nearly 1 in 4 patients who undergo surgery for early-stage breast cancer will require repeat operation. We aim to address this enormous medical need through our proprietary molecular imaging technology," said Lightpoint Medical CEO Dr. David Tuch, adding that the award builds on the company's successful private fundraising efforts and previous TSB grants.

"We are also delighted to partner with Sagentia on this project. Their deep expertise in advanced optics and medical device product development make them excellent partners," Tuch added.

"Enabling the technology to be used intraoperatively will potentially give oncology surgeons faster and more extensive results and improve patient outcomes with less risk of recurrence," said Sagentia Technology & Product Development Managing Director Mick Withers. "This has the potential to be truly disruptive, and we're very excited to help deliver this technology to the market."

For more information, visit: www.lightpointmedical.com, www.sagentia.com or www.innovateuk.org