Surgical Robotics Technology
THERACLION, an innovative company developing a scalable robotic platform for non-invasive echotherapy, has announced the first patient treatment in an early-stage breast cancer study in collaboration with the University of Virginia Cancer Center, USA. The trial seeks to investigate the combination of High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) and low-dose chemotherapy to augment immune control of breast cancer.
Early-stage breast cancer focus following promising results of initial study
Registered on ClinicalTrials.gov, the new study was designed by Pr. David Brenin and Pr. Patrick Dillon. The research aims to evaluate the conjunctive effect of Theraclion’s focused ultrasound and low-dose gemcitabine in early-stage breast cancer patients. ’We will examine whether the dual therapy decreases myeloid-derived suppressor cells and thus increases the immune response,’ explains David Brenin, Chief of the Division of Breast and Melanoma Surgical Services and Professor in the Department of Surgery at UVA Health. ‘If demonstrated to be effective, the combined treatment could provide patients with early-stage breast cancer an improved chance of survival,’ adds Patrick Dillon, Associate Professor in the Department of Hematology and Oncology at UVA Health.
After an initial successful collaboration on late-stage breast cancer patients, the University of Virginia (UVA) Cancer Center has extended the use of Theraclion’s world-class technology to a phase-2 investigation in early-stage breast cancer. These two studies emphasize the need for a mixed approach, combining the non-invasive HIFU, data-driven platform with the pharmacological options, either chemotherapy or immune-oncology molecules, to offer alternative treatments for early- and late-stage breast cancer.
Every year, 2.3 million women are diagnosed with breast cancer and the disease is responsible for 685,000 deaths globally. Moreover, 7.8 million women alive had been diagnosed with breast cancer over the past 5 years as of 2021, making it the world’s most prevalent cancer.1 An estimated 3.8 million women have a history of breast cancer in the US2. ‘We are excited about this opportunity to explore, together with the University of Virginia, our technology’s full potential for improving patients’ lives’, says David Caumartin.
Theraclion’s strategic development in 3 major therapeutic areas in 3 geographies
Theraclion’s growth strategy involves expanding 3 major therapeutic areas in 3 geographic areas:
- Varicose veins, in the USA (seeking FDA clearance) and in Europe
- Thyroid, in Europe and in China
- Breast cancer, mostly in the USA
To achieve these ambitious goals, Theraclion will secure financing and strategic partnerships and mainly focus on key technical and clinical milestones.
1 https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/breast-cancer
2 Howlader N, Noone AM, Krapcho M, et al., eds. SEER Cancer Statistics Review, 1975-2016. Bethesda, MD: National Cancer Institute; 2019. Available from seer.cancer.gov/csr/1975_2016/, based on November 2018 SEER data submission, posted to the SEER web site April 2019
Source: Theraclion.
