Ablatus Therapeutics has been awarded £1.4m by the UK Government’s Innovate UK to develop its next-generation, minimally-invasive treatment for soft tissue tumours.
The award will fund a two-year project to develop the prototype device into a final version for use in patients for the first time. Partnering with Cambridge-based product engineering and design specialists, Eg Technology, and Addenbrooke’s Hospital, the grant will enable Ablatus to push forward with gathering essential clinical data needed for CE mark, commercial launch and ultimately to reach patients.
By using Bimodal Electric Tissue Ablation (BETA), an energy-based alternative to open surgery, the device offers a novel, cost-effective and efficient approach to destroying abnormal tissue, such as tumours, in situ and without major surgery. This alternative to existing tissue ablation techniques will potentially allow the ablation of previously untreatable tumours, while improving patient outcomes and providing greater clinical options.
Commenting on the award, Chief Medical Officer and Interim CEO of Ablatus Therapeutics, Dr. Natalie Hayes, said: “This is an enormous opportunity for Ablatus to build on the important work we have already done to complete development of what will be a game-changing treatment for patients with tumours. We are especially pleased to be able to bring this exciting new technology to local patients here in Cambridge, when we start our first clinical study in Addenbrooke’s Hospital.”
