Press release +

Findings reinforce the potential of fluorescence lifetime imaging (FLIM) – the scientific foundation of Prothea’s molecular imaging technology.

The Prothea Technologies team congratulates Professor Ahsan Akram, Dr Qiang Wang and their colleagues at the University of Edinburgh’s Institute for Regeneration and Repair (IRR) on the publication in Cancer Research of their paper describing a novel means of acquiring the genetic information that is required for the administration of precision drug therapy for lung cancer.

By combining AI with fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM) the researchers were able to identify EGFR mutations directly from unstained lung biopsy tissue – eliminating the need for conventional staining and reducing dependence on lengthy, expensive molecular testing.

This technology is addressing a specific and urgent need. Results from a recent analysis¹ showed that for every 1,000 NSCLC patients in the study cohort, 50% were lost to precision oncology because of factors associated with getting biomarker test results; and among the 50% who did receive results from a biomarker test, 29% did not receive appropriate targeted treatments. Thus, approximately 64% of potentially eligible patients did not benefit from therapies appropriate for their disease.

Working closely with Professor Akram, Prothea Technologies, a spin-out from IRR, is translating this laboratory technology into a clinically deployable platform by replacing the microscope with a miniaturised fibre-optic imaging catheter. This enables FLIM and AI analysis to be performed directly within the patient’s airway. In addition to developing the imaging application, Prothea has developed an ablation catheter that can be guided to a target lesion with continuous molecular visualisation.

Professor Kev Dhaliwal, Chair of Molecular Imaging at the University of Edinburgh and Chief Scientific Officer of Prothea Technologies said:

“Since the invention of the microscope, advances in imaging have driven advances in patient care. Imaging at the molecular level is the next frontier, with the potential to improve both access to precision medicine and its effectiveness. Congratulations to Ahsan and Qiang on this important work.”

For further information, please contact:

Dr. Anne Moore, COO
Email: [email protected]

About Prothea

Prothea Technologies is a private medical technology company with a vision to offer lung cancer biopsy and treatment in a single hospital visit. Lung cancer is the third most common form of cancer in the U.S. and annually claims more lives than breast, prostate and colon cancer combined. Screening programmes aim to facilitate the early detection of suspicious lesions, but delivering value from these initiatives requires a significant increase in biopsy performance, presenting a challenge for hospitals already grappling with low biopsy yields and false negatives.

Prothea Technologies, a spin-out company from the Universities of Edinburgh and Bath, in-licensed several patents from these institutions as part of a Series A financing in 2024.

Prothea’s novel bronchoscopy system is initially focused on patients requiring a biopsy, with abnormal lung lesions per CT scan. The technology combines innovative microscopic optical fibres, next generation fluorescence imaging and biopsy instruments to deliver adjacent image capture and tissue characterisation at the molecular level.

A laser ablation catheter is in development for the treatment of lesions immediately following visualisation and biopsy. The integration of these two systems (real-time imaging and ablation) will streamline biopsy and treatment into a single hospital visit, reducing time-to-treat from weeks to minutes, thereby relieving hospital pressures and improving patient outcomes.

The Prothea Imaging and Biopsy system and the Ablation system are in development and are not currently cleared for use in any country.

The Company’s clinical pipeline also includes a well-advanced program supported by Wellcome, for the early identification of specific lung infections in intensive care patients, enabling earlier selection of optimal drug therapy.

¹Sadik, JCO Precision Oncology October 2022