Pictured from left to right: Jan Willem Beijer, Sterre Witteveen, Eric Derksen, Mariette van der Velden-Roesink, Bram Schermers and Hubert Martens of Sirius Medical (source photo: Sirius Medical)
Dutch Sirius Medical announces it has raised a new investment. The funding is for the commercial launch of Sirius Pintuition and the development of additional products and indications.
Detecting tumours without wires or radio activities
Sirius Medical is Eindhoven-based company that aims to deliver a user-friendly, accurate and affordable solution for oncological surgeons with Sirius Pintuition. The solution helps them locate tumours in the breast without wires or radioactivity. The solution also improves the workflow of oncological surgeons.
Wide screening programmes are more likely to detect small and insensitive breast tumours. This development puts pressure on surgeons to perform a growing number of operations. In doing so, they have to locate and operate on these hard-to-detect tumours each time. Localisation technology is therefore indispensable to guide the surgeon to the right location in the human body during surgery.
Wires and radioactivity
Tumour localisation traditionally involves wires, which has its limitations and drawbacks. For instance, wired systems limit the freedom surgeons have to change their approach during surgery. Also, the use of wires can cause additional discomfort and recovery time for the patient.
An alternative has been available for some time: the use of radioactive seeds. However, the use of radioactivity carries its own risks, so it has been embraced only on a limited scale. With Sirius Pintuition, the company is marketing an alternative without wires and radioactivity.
Injecting small magnetic seed
The system works using a small seed - the Pintuition Seed - which is injected using a needle - the Pintuition Needle. This seed is a small, powerful magnet wrapped in biocompatible titanium. The seed makes it possible to accurately determine the location of the tumour.
Up to 180 days before surgery, the seed can be implanted in soft tissue to mark the location of a breast or other soft tissue tumour. This seed is delivered in a sterile needle, with which it is implanted. This needle is available in two versions: a 12cm variant and a 20cm-long variant. The tip of the needle can be imaged using ultrasound.
Reading out location of tumour
The location of the seed can then be read during surgery using the Pintuition Probe. This probe can determine the location of the seed up to a distance of 50mm. In doing so, the system is accurate to the millimetre.
The Pintuition Probe is reusable and compatible with standard metal instruments often used during operations. This probe can be connected to the Pintuition Base unit, which includes a smart algorithm for detecting the seed.
'Implementing growth plans'
Hubert Martens, CEO of Sirius Medical Systems, said: "We are grateful for our investors' confidence in Sirius Medical. Thanks to the A-round financing, Sirius Medical can execute its ambitious growth plans: providing affordable localisation technology to our doctors and developing complementary solutions."
Sjoerd van Gorp, senior investment manager at BOM Brabant Ventures: "As BOM, we are proud to support this company so that we can offer optimal care to patients with breast cancer. The innovative solution developed by Sirius will lead to a better care pathway. This is crucial in today's healthcare environment."
Author: Wouter Hoeffnagel
