Lumicell develops novel flexible endoscope for Barrett's esophagus

02 Oct 2024

Combination of fluorescence and reflected light imaging will help spot precancerous condition.

Massachusetts-based Lumicell has received a Phase I Small Business Innovation Research contract from the National Cancer Institute (NCI), for development of an endoscopic imaging system for diagnosis of Barrett's esophagus.

The funding of $400,000 will support one year of work on the company's plans for a novel imaging platform combining far infrared fluorescence and reflected light imaging.

Barrett's esophagus is an inflammation of cells in the lining of the esophagus, lesions which are thought to increase the risk of subsequent development of esophageal cancer. Endoscopic imaging of those lesions is a potentially valuable route to rapid diagnosis, especially if it removes the need for tissue sampling and separate biopsy.

Precancerous and early-stage esophagealadenocarcinoma (EAC) is one of the more common gastrointestinal cancers and is potentially curable, commented Lumicell. However, it is typically detected in advanced stages with a five-year survival rate less than 15 percent.

"The current approach to early detection is through endoscopy and random biopsy in patients with precancerous lesions (Barrett’s esophagus)," said a Lumicell statement. "This approach has poor sensitivity, is resource-intensive, and does not permit real-time identification of lesions for immediate treatment."

Lumicell envisages a novel flexible endoscopic imaging platform, leveraging the company’s proprietary fluorescence imaging technology to detect, in real-time and in situ, potentially cancerous lesions in patients. This approach has the potential to improve early detection of commonly missed esophageal lesions.

Game-changer in identification of dysplasia

The company's work on Barrett's esophagus follows its studies of an intra-operative image-guidance system for more effective removal of breast cancer tumors. Speaking in 2017 as trials of its fluorescence-based breast cancer imaging system progressed, Lumicell indicated that esophageal cancer was also a future target for the company, along with colorectal cancer and possibly secondary brain tumors.

That breast cancer detection platform consists of a proprietary optical imaging agent, Lumisight, and the Lumicell Direct Visualization System (DVS). The Lumisight molecule is designed to be optically inactive when intact, but become capable of producing a fluorescent signal after its peptide chain is cleaved by specific enzymes found at higher levels in and around tumor and tumor-associated cells.

The Lumicell DVS platform features a hand-held imaging probe designed to go inside the breast cavity and detect the fluorescence signal emitted by the Lumisight, assisted by patient-calibrated cancer detection software.

In April 2024 the US FDA approved Lumicell's New Drug Application for Lumisight and its Premarket Approval Application for the Lumicell DVS platform, referred to together as LumiSystem.

The new funding from the NCI will assist expansion of the company's breast cancer research into additional oncological surgical applications, according to the company, which anticipates its work will transform the detection of esophageal cancer.

"Lumicell's novel fluorescence technology could be a game-changer in the early detection of dysplasia that may otherwise not be detectable within a background of Barrett's esophagus,” commented company VP Brian Schlossberg. "This grant is a very exciting opportunity to further develop our platform technology in a new indication that may alter the extent of esophageal resections and cancer-related morbidity."