Imagine trying to paint a wall but not knowing if the paint is actually sticking to the surface or just sliding off. Right now, doctors give expensive medicine for gut inflammation but can't see if the drug actually reaches the sick tissue. This technology adds a special 'glow-in-the-dark' camera to an endoscope to show exactly where the medicine goes and if there is enough of it to work.
IBD treatments are currently empirical and expensive because doctors cannot see if drugs reach the target tissue. This leads to high non-response rates (30-60%) and massive annual healthcare costs.
A Near-Infrared Fluorescence and Reflectance Multispectral Imaging (NIR-FRMI) unit integrated into a High-definition White Light Endoscope (HD-WLE).
If you are an equipment manufacturer dealing with stagnant growth in standard imaging — this project developed a Near-Infrared Fluorescence and Reflectance Multispectral Imaging unit that integrates into HD endoscopes to provide quantitative drug distribution data.
If you are a pharma company dealing with high primary non-response rates of 30-60% in IBD drugs — this project developed a way to identify specific targeted cells and quantify local drug concentration to improve drug development and patient stratification.
If you are a clinic dealing with the high medical costs of ~€10 billion annually for IBD in the EU — this project developed an operator-independent method to establish optimal dosing and monitor response in real-time.
Based on available project data, specific pricing or implementation costs are not provided; however, it aims to reduce the €10 billion annual medical cost of IBD in the EU by lowering non-response rates.
The project involves two SMEs and two industrial partners, suggesting a path toward industrial scaling of the NIR-FRMI unit and HD-WLE integration.
Based on available project data, specific patent or licensing details are not listed, but the project is developing a 'never before seen' integrated imaging system.
The technology is designed to be integrated into a High-definition White Light Endoscope (HD-WLE), allowing it to fit into existing endoscopic procedures.
The project period runs from 2022-04-01 to 2027-03-31, indicating that final results and potential commercial versions will emerge toward 2027.
The consortium is lean and highly focused, consisting of 5 partners across 4 countries (CZ, DE, FR, NL). With a 40% industry ratio (including 2 SMEs), the project balances academic research from 2 universities and 1 research center with commercial application, ensuring the developed imaging unit is designed for market viability.
Contact Helmholtz Zentrum München Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt GmbH
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