Preclinical in vivo validation of a glioblastoma neuro snooper electrical device

Introduction

Median survival for people that are diagnosed with glioblastoma (GBM) is only 15 months. Chemoradiotherapy and targeted therapies still fail to combat peritumoral relapse after tumour removal. Preventing peritumoral brain invasion is the main target to cure GBM.

Project Aim

Our project aims to validate a proof-of-concept for a new medical device (MD) ‘GBM Neuro Snooper’ in GBM animal models, a required step before initiating a clinical trial (Technology Readiness Level from 2/3 to 4).

Device Functionality

This MD will allow us to define an in-situ electrophysiology profile of patients with GBM, after the tumor resection. This will provide access to a new mechanistic understanding in the brain tumour field, as well as new strategies for patient stratification and treatment.

Current Limitations

Already existing MDs with electrode wires are either very stiff or have a millimetric dimension.

Expected Outcomes

The ERC work will lead to a first generic, miniaturised prototype implant with moderate invasiveness. The design has been validated in connection with neurosurgeons for the GBM application. Additionally, we will validate its Freedom to Operate in the context of continuous IP landscaping and create an exploitation plan.

Long-term Perspective

In a long-term perspective, the project will help characterise hyperexcitability in brain diseases such as tumors, epilepsy, and Alzheimer’s Disease. We will also investigate the effect of stimulation of the peritumoral tissue and the correlation with the recorded signals as a new electro-theragnostic strategy.

Ethical Considerations

We will address the ethics and social dimension of using such a MD. Our exploitation plan will include the protection of intellectual property, business strategy, and the preparation of a clinical trial after project completion.

Team Expertise

The project will be performed by a dedicated team that includes significant expertise in technical development, preclinical validation of devices, surgery, and knowledge transfer.