Barrett’s oesophagus is a condition where the normal tissue lining the oesophagus is replaced with tissue similar to the intestinal lining, usually due to chronic acid reflux. Credit: Andrey_Popov via Shutterstock.

Lumicell has been awarded a research grant worth $400,000 from the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) to develop a novel flexible endoscopic imaging platform to detect cancerous legions in patients with Barrett’s oesophagus.  

The $400,000 funding has been awarded through a Phase I Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) of the NIH. 

The Massachusetts-based company will use the funds to develop a flexible endoscope to be used with the company’s fluorescence imaging technology, dubbed Lumisight (pegulicianine). The aim of this device is to detect potentially cancerous lesions in patients with Barrett’s oesophagus, both in real-time and in situ.  

Barrett’s oesophagus is a condition where the normal tissue lining the oesophagus is replaced with tissue similar to the intestinal lining, usually due to chronic acid reflux. Over time, this abnormal cell change increases the risk of developing oesophageal adenocarcinoma, a type of cancer. The progression occurs as the abnormal cells may undergo further changes, which can eventually turn to cancerous cells if left untreated.  

Lumicell already has a breast cancer detection imaging tool on the market. The company secured US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for Lumisight plus the company’s direct visualisation system (DVS) in April 2024. The tech includes a hand-held imaging probe, supported by cancer detection software, that can be inserted inside the breast cavity to identify any cancer cells that remain during lumpectomy – otherwise known as breast-conserving surgery. 

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Lumicell’s vice president Brian Schlossberg said: “Lumicell’s novel fluorescence technology could be a game-changer in the early detection of dysplasia that may otherwise not be detectable within a background of Barrett’s oesophagus. This grant is a very exciting opportunity to further develop our platform technology in a new indication that may alter the extent of oesophageal resections and cancer-related morbidity.” 

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The global diagnostic imaging market was estimated to be worth nearly $36.5bn in 2023 and is predicted to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.2% to $55bn by 2033, according to a report by GlobalData. 

Elsewhere in the endoscopic space, gastrointestinal health company Previse’s Esopredict test has demonstrated its ability to predict the likelihood of progression to high-grade dysplasia (HGD) or oesophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) in patients with Barrett’s oesophagus.