other imaging modalities to reduce the chances of missing
the tumor. Producing the image takes about 1% of the
collected data on the breast tissues, so there is a lot more
information available. The next important step is to work
with the clinical partners in Europe to understand what
information they require and the best way to display such
information, adding higher levels of functionality to the
system. The company will launch the first step of this
program soon and will begin to classify regions of interest
as to the likelihood of these regions of interest being benign
or malignant.
Professor Lain Lyburn, a consultant radiologist at
Thirlestaine Breast Centre, Cheltenham, recently said,“We
have been involved in the evaluation of the MARIA® system
for some time now and whilst it is currently offered as an
adjunct to other imaging modalities, particularly where
dense tissue is involved, the technique promises the exciting
ability to distinguish between tissue types in the future. Any
imaging modality that can readily give this sort of
functional information has the potential to influence many
points in the diagnostic and treatment pathways - there
could be less need for biopsies and possibly a reduction in
overtreatment.”
Challenges on the Way
The road to success is never easy. Likewise, Micrima, faced
many ups and downs in getting to this stage of
development. Right from persuading the investors to back
the growing enterprise to solving various technical
challenges along the way and ensuring the right approach to
the commercialization of the product, Micrima has
overcome all these hurdles.
On the financing front, though it wasn’t tough for the
company to convince the audiences of the unmet need
regarding breast cancer, the case still had to be made for its
specific technological approach. The crucial part was to
prove the capability and determination of the key personnel
and the growing management team. Today, Micrima is
supported by a growing list of quality investors who
passionately wish to take the organization forward.Awards and Accreditations
In recent years, Micrima has been recognized with several
awards. Most of these awards are focused on the technology
and innovation of the MARIA® system. These include
general innovation awards, like the ‘Medilink SW
innovation Award in 2018’. Micrima has also been honored
with ‘The Frost and Sullivan New Product Innovation
Award- Breast Imaging in 2019’ and the ‘Global Health and
Pharma Best Oncology Diagnostic Imaging Device
Manufacture in 2019 Award’.Moving towards Success
The ongoing primary goal for Micrima is the evolution of
the MARIA® software to deliver increasing degrees of
tissue differentiation. The company is hopeful to be able to
identify the type of malignancy along with the diagnosis of
the disease. “If we can assist radiologists by indicating
which are low grade, slow growing, and can/should be
monitored over time, and which are invasive, high grade,
and rapidly growing, this could have huge implications for
the treatment of breast cancer. There is also the possibility
to use this technology for detecting other types of cancer in
the body in the future,” says Roy.On the commercial front, Micrima will continue its
progress in Europe. The company is also planning to take
this inventive technology to the US and Asia, once the
relevant regulatory approvals are in place.32 |July 2019|