Project description
Novel biopsy procedure for targeted medicine diagnostics
Traditional biopsy for cancer and other diagnosis includes tissue fixation in formalin and embedding in paraffin for subsequent microscopy analysis of the morphology. Advancements in biomedicine make possible the broad analysis of biomolecules (biomarkers) for evaluation of disease progression but require tissue samples to be fresh or frozen immediately after biopsy. Current biopsy devices do not provide this option. Sorek Medical Systems Ltd. has developed biopsy devices capable of automatically splitting tissue sample in two for simultaneous chemical fixation and freezing preservation. The current EU-funded phase of the project will test and validate devices in clinical applications. These devices could have broad application for not only cancer diagnosis but also pharmaceutical development of biomarker-targeting drugs for targeted and personalised medicine.
Objective
Biopsy is a commonly used medical procedure for the diagnosis and characterization of cancer and other diseases. Traditionally, the tissue obtained is preserved by formalin fixation, embedded in paraffin, sectioned to thin tissue layers, and then analysed histologically under the microscope to evaluat overall tissue morphology. Current advancement in biomedicine makes it possible for greater use of molecular technologies. These technologies, allow for analysis of change in biomolecules (biomarkers) during cancer progression rather than tissue morphology alone. Laboratory analysis of biomarkers require tissue to be fresh (or fresh frozen) and rather not be preserved by formalin. In order to yield viable biomarker analysis tissue must be frozen as soon as possible because biomarkers are extremely sensitive to degradation. Current biopsy devices are not designed to meet these challenges of rapid freezing as a replacement to formalin fixation.
We, at Sorek Medical Systems Ltd., a 16-year-old R&D company based in Israel, developed two biopsy devices that automatically split the tissue sample in two during biopsy acquisition. Our technology allows chemical standard formalin fixation for histology. Sorek’s devices will be used by radiologists and surgeons, and by pharmaceutical companies seeking the development of biomarker-targeting drugs with the goal of improving personalized medicine and improving early diagnosis for breast, lung, chest, prostate, and other organs’ cancer disease. Our CryoBiopsy Phase 2 project will allow us to test and validate our devices which will require € 2.8 million investment. Our financial forecast show that after five-year commercialization we will generate a cumulative revenues of €57 million and will create 20 positions which will include engineers, technicians and our own sales personnel
Fields of science
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
SME-2 - SME instrument phase 2Coordinator
20692 YOKNEAM ILLIT
Israel
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.