Protool : Miniature Surgical Instruments designed for taking molecular samples PDF Print E-mail

Miniature Surgical Instruments designed for taking molecular samples

Diagnostic biomarkers are indispensable in oncology for identifying tumours and ascertaining their type, a prognostic indication of their aggressiveness, or the speed at which they are growing as well as helping to evaluate their potential for drug therapies and ongoing treatement. In the case of solid tumors, biopsies enable the clinician to get hold of cellular or molecular material to analyse tumors and obtain the valuable data needed by the clinican. Nevertheless, it is not always easy to carry out intratumoral biopsies, either because access to the tumor is restricted, or because the biopsy would result in an over invasive procedure.

In the case of the endocrinological Cushing pathology, which is due to a hypophyseal adenoma secreting adrenocorticotropine, the molecular explorations realized on hypophyseal biopsies can help in the characterisation and identification of tumoral tissue. The surgical instrument which has been developed, enables the  implementation of  hypophyseal micro-biopsies to enable molecular biomarker analyses.

The principles of the technology

A surgical tool to enable the implementation of micro-biopsies needed for diagnostic analysis.

The device consists of a system which enables the penetration  of healthy or tumoral tissue in order to capture molecules or cells for future testing.
The device includes all the functionality required to carry out biopsies including guidance of the tool towards tissue or other relevant areas, penetration of the tool into the tissue and capture of all biological material necessary for analysis. The capture of molecules is carried out via a small “silicum chip”.A chemical layer on this chip enables the device to be adjusted to capture different types of molecules (DNA, RNA, Proteins etc)

The tool therefore allows the recuperation of biological compounds  for analysis, and even to be linked directly to certain detection devices (mass spectrometers for example).


Key benefits

  • Surgical tool has been optimised for intratissular biopsies
  • Prevents laceration of tissue
  • Enables minimally invasive biopsies
  • Specifically designed to capture cells or molecules
  • Flexible device : can be used to detect various biomarkers (cells, DNA, RNA, proteins)
  • Enables the extemporal analysis of biomarkers in theatre
  • Technology currently undergoing clinical validation


Target Audience

  • Specialists in the diagnosis of cancer
  • Neurosurgery and endocrinological clinics
  • Theragnostics


Industrial Partners

We are currently looking for industrial partners interested by this exciting new innovation

  • Medical device developers and manufacturers
  • CRO organisations specialising in smalll intratumoral biopsies for histological and molecular studies.


Intellecual Property

The technology is protected by  the following patents

  • FR 09 56 419 patent applied for the 18/09/2009 – Patent owners : University Joseph Fourier and Grenoble CHU (University Hospital).
  • Publications: 1 thesis, one article currently being prepared


Contact: Florence Alesandrini
+33 (0)4 76 00 78 35
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

 

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TESTIMONIALS

"Thanks to the Optical Imaging Platform we have been able to carry out preliminary trials" JS Sun, DNA Therapeutics
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