2301440
Cooperative Agreement
Overview
Grant Description
STTR PHASE II: THERMAL IMAGING, AUGMENTATION OF MICROWAVE ENERGY IN VARIOUS TISSUES AND CHRONIC SAFETY -THE BROADER IMPACT/COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL OF THIS SMALL BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER (STTR) PHASE II PROJECT IS A NOVEL BIOCOMPATIBLE GEL TO IMPROVE THE EFFECTIVENESS AND SAFETY OF THERMAL TUMOR ABLATION PROCEDURES.
THE TECHNOLOGY ENHANCES THE ENERGY MEDIUM OF RADIOFREQUENCY ENERGY, RESULTING IN MORE EFFECTIVE ELECTROPORATION OF TUMORS, INCREASING THE THERAPEUTIC CONCENTRATION OF ENERGY WHILE MINIMIZING UNINTENDED DAMAGE TO SURROUNDING FLUIDS OR TISSUES.
THE TECHNOLOGICAL MEDIUM AIMS TO IMPROVE PROCEDURAL OUTCOMES FOR THE $800 MILLION AND $2.7 BILLION WORLDWIDE IMAGE-GUIDED THERMAL ABLATION MARKET, WITH BROAD APPLICABILITY FOR A WIDE VARIETY OF ABLATION PROCEDURES, INCLUDING THOSE PERFORMED FOR ENDOMETRIAL BLEEDING, PAIN MANAGEMENT, SPINAL DECOMPRESSION AND DENERVATION, BENIGN PROSTATIC HYPERPLASIA, AND EMPHYSEMA REDUCTION. THIS SMALL BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER PHASE II PROJECT AIMS TO DEVELOP A NOVEL PROTEIN-BASED GEL FOR IMPROVING PROCEDURAL OUTCOMES DURING FOCAL TUMOR ABLATION PROCEDURES.
THIS NOVEL MATERIAL PROVIDES A VISCOUS FLUID MEDIUM FOR FOCUSING RADIOFREQUENCY ENERGY INTENSITY TO ITS INTENDED TARGET AREA IN ORDER TO INTENSIFY LOCALIZED ENERGY DELIVERY.
DURING THE FIRST PHASE, A COMPUTATIONAL MODEL WILL BE DEVELOPED USING 3D MICROWAVE IMAGING UNDER SIMULATED CLINICAL CONDITIONS TO PREDICT THE THERMAL BEHAVIOR OF THE GEL. DURING THE SECOND PHASE, PRECLINICAL DATA WILL BE COLLECTED USING LIVER, KIDNEY, AND MUSCLE TISSUE IN VIVO PRECLINICAL MODELS AND MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING TO QUANTIFY TEMPERATURES, ABLATION ZONE SIZE, AND THERMAL ENERGY DEPOSITION.
DURING THE THIRD STAGE, THE GEL?S EFFECTS DURING TISSUE ABLATION WILL BE ASSESSED USING IN VIVO PORCINE LUNG AND STANDARD NON-INVASIVE CLINICAL IMAGING METHODS. DURING THE FOURTH PHASE, AN IN VIVO CHRONIC SAFETY STUDY WILL BE COMPLETED.
UPON COMPLETION, THE RESULTS FROM THESE MILESTONES WILL PROVIDE THE NECESSARY PRECLINICAL EVIDENCE TO INITIATE FIRST IN HUMAN STUDIES. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.
- SUBAWARDS ARE PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.
THE TECHNOLOGY ENHANCES THE ENERGY MEDIUM OF RADIOFREQUENCY ENERGY, RESULTING IN MORE EFFECTIVE ELECTROPORATION OF TUMORS, INCREASING THE THERAPEUTIC CONCENTRATION OF ENERGY WHILE MINIMIZING UNINTENDED DAMAGE TO SURROUNDING FLUIDS OR TISSUES.
THE TECHNOLOGICAL MEDIUM AIMS TO IMPROVE PROCEDURAL OUTCOMES FOR THE $800 MILLION AND $2.7 BILLION WORLDWIDE IMAGE-GUIDED THERMAL ABLATION MARKET, WITH BROAD APPLICABILITY FOR A WIDE VARIETY OF ABLATION PROCEDURES, INCLUDING THOSE PERFORMED FOR ENDOMETRIAL BLEEDING, PAIN MANAGEMENT, SPINAL DECOMPRESSION AND DENERVATION, BENIGN PROSTATIC HYPERPLASIA, AND EMPHYSEMA REDUCTION. THIS SMALL BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER PHASE II PROJECT AIMS TO DEVELOP A NOVEL PROTEIN-BASED GEL FOR IMPROVING PROCEDURAL OUTCOMES DURING FOCAL TUMOR ABLATION PROCEDURES.
THIS NOVEL MATERIAL PROVIDES A VISCOUS FLUID MEDIUM FOR FOCUSING RADIOFREQUENCY ENERGY INTENSITY TO ITS INTENDED TARGET AREA IN ORDER TO INTENSIFY LOCALIZED ENERGY DELIVERY.
DURING THE FIRST PHASE, A COMPUTATIONAL MODEL WILL BE DEVELOPED USING 3D MICROWAVE IMAGING UNDER SIMULATED CLINICAL CONDITIONS TO PREDICT THE THERMAL BEHAVIOR OF THE GEL. DURING THE SECOND PHASE, PRECLINICAL DATA WILL BE COLLECTED USING LIVER, KIDNEY, AND MUSCLE TISSUE IN VIVO PRECLINICAL MODELS AND MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING TO QUANTIFY TEMPERATURES, ABLATION ZONE SIZE, AND THERMAL ENERGY DEPOSITION.
DURING THE THIRD STAGE, THE GEL?S EFFECTS DURING TISSUE ABLATION WILL BE ASSESSED USING IN VIVO PORCINE LUNG AND STANDARD NON-INVASIVE CLINICAL IMAGING METHODS. DURING THE FOURTH PHASE, AN IN VIVO CHRONIC SAFETY STUDY WILL BE COMPLETED.
UPON COMPLETION, THE RESULTS FROM THESE MILESTONES WILL PROVIDE THE NECESSARY PRECLINICAL EVIDENCE TO INITIATE FIRST IN HUMAN STUDIES. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.
- SUBAWARDS ARE PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.
Awardee
Funding Goals
THE GOAL OF THIS FUNDING OPPORTUNITY, "NSF SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATION RESEARCH PHASE II (SBIR)/ SMALL BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER (STTR) PROGRAMS PHASE II", IS IDENTIFIED IN THE LINK: HTTPS://WWW.NSF.GOV/PUBLICATIONS/PUB_SUMM.JSP?ODS_KEY=NSF22552
Grant Program (CFDA)
Awarding / Funding Agency
Place of Performance
West Bridgewater,
Massachusetts
02379-1014
United States
Geographic Scope
Single Zip Code
Related Opportunity
22-552
Theromics was awarded
Cooperative Agreement 2301440
worth $1,000,000
from National Science Foundation in March 2024 with work to be completed primarily in West Bridgewater Massachusetts United States.
The grant
has a duration of 2 years and
was awarded through assistance program 47.084 NSF Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships.
SBIR Details
Research Type
STTR Phase II
Title
STTR Phase II: Thermal Imaging, Augmentation of Microwave Energy in Various Tissues and Chronic Safety
Abstract
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase II project is a novel biocompatible gel to improve the effectiveness and safety of thermal tumor ablation procedures. The technology enhances the energy medium of radiofrequency energy, resulting in more effective electroporation of tumors, increasing the therapeutic concentration of energy while minimizing unintended damage to surrounding fluids or tissues. The technological medium aims to improve procedural outcomes for the $800 million and $2.7 billion worldwide image-guided thermal ablation market, with broad applicability for a wide variety of ablation procedures, including those performed for endometrial bleeding, pain management, spinal decompression and denervation, benign prostatic hyperplasia, and emphysema reduction.
This Small Business Technology Transfer Phase II project aims to develop a novel protein-based gel for improving procedural outcomes during focal tumor ablation procedures. This novel material provides a viscous fluid medium for focusing radiofrequency energy intensity to its intended target area in order to intensify localized energy delivery. During the first phase, a computational model will be developed using 3D microwave imaging under simulated clinical conditions to predict the thermal behavior of the gel. During the second phase, preclinical data will be collected using liver, kidney, and muscle tissue in vivo preclinical models and magnetic resonance imaging to quantify temperatures, ablation zone size, and thermal energy deposition. During the third stage, the gel’s effects during tissue ablation will be assessed using in vivo porcine lung and standard non-invasive clinical imaging methods. During the fourth phase, an in vivo chronic safety study will be completed. Upon completion, the results from these milestones will provide the necessary preclinical evidence to initiate first in human studies.
This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Topic Code
MD
Solicitation Number
NSF 22-552
Status
(Ongoing)
Last Modified 3/21/24
Period of Performance
3/15/24
Start Date
2/28/26
End Date
Funding Split
$1.0M
Federal Obligation
$0.0
Non-Federal Obligation
$1.0M
Total Obligated
Activity Timeline
Additional Detail
Award ID FAIN
2301440
SAI Number
None
Award ID URI
SAI EXEMPT
Awardee Classifications
Small Business
Awarding Office
491503 TRANSLATIONAL IMPACTS
Funding Office
491503 TRANSLATIONAL IMPACTS
Awardee UEI
KBNCTASV9SW9
Awardee CAGE
80LB3
Performance District
MA-08
Senators
Edward Markey
Elizabeth Warren
Elizabeth Warren
Modified: 3/21/24