The InVue platform is a microscopic medical imaging device that delivers what could be termed an on-the-spot “optical biopsy” without the need for an actual biopsy which is often painful and time consuming. It can provide biopsy-free, slide-free imaging of live single cells in real time during surgery.
The technology could provide tremendous benefits, such as immediate pathology insights within the operating theatre, enabling on-the-spot decision-making, adjusting planned treatment and allowing for more precise surgical outcomes.
A more accurate diagnosis is also likely to reduce the need for follow-up procedures or surgery.
Additionally, Optiscan recently moved into veterinary medicine through a partnership with US-based University of Minnesota to combine its cancer imaging technology with the veterinary faculty’s research expertise with dogs and cats.
The partnership’s goal is to generate clinical data that will prove the worth of Optiscan’s digital confocal laser endomicroscopic imaging system in veterinary medicine, particularly in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer in cats and dogs.
With more than 70 million domesticated dogs and 80 million cats in the US alone, many of them facing significant health issues, the veterinary market presents a unique opportunity for innovation.
Annually, more than 12 million companion animals are diagnosed with cancer, creating a pressing need for improved veterinary services. Among those cases, breast and oral cancers are particularly prevalent, accounting for 27 per cent to 53 per cent of cancer diagnoses in cats and dogs.
The market opportunity aligns well with the conditions Optiscan is already addressing in human oncology, making veterinary medicine a natural extension of its technology.
The move into veterinary services is recent addition for Optiscan, although the idea to do so may have been generated closer to home with Opitscan’s biggest shareholder, Bob Peters – a prominent Western Australian businessman and horse racing identity – who is a long-time supporter of the company following his own personal brush the cancer just 3 years ago.
As Optiscan’s presence in the US grows, so does its reputation as a pioneer in high-resolution, digital pathology solutions that bridge-the-gap between pathology and surgery.
The company will also attend the American College of Veterinary Pathologists Annual Meeting in Seattle, Washington on the 16th of November and The American Society for Cell Biology Annual Meeting in San Diego, California on the 14th of December.
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