OnLume Inc., an early stage medical imaging company with unique technology for improving surgical precision, has been awarded a substantial grant from the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH)’s National Cancer Institute (NCI) to advance development of its proprietary device for Fluorescence-Guided Surgery (FGS).
 
OnLume has developed FGS imaging technology to illuminate critical anatomy in real-time during surgery to optimize precision, which can lead to improved patient outcomes, reduced morbidity and reduced costs.
 
The $2 million Phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant from the NCI will fund further refinement of OnLume’s FGS imaging device for visualization of critical anatomy, augmenting precision during surgery. OnLume’s imaging device will seamlessly integrate into the clinical workflow with a small physical footprint, an easy-to-use interface and compatibility with ambient lighting in the operating room.
 
Christie Lin, Ph.D., OnLume’s director of Research, stated, “We are excited to further advance the development and launch of state-of-the-art imaging technology into the clinic to allow surgeons to see what is not visible to the naked eye. We anticipate that our technology will increase surgeon confidence, leading to improved patient outcomes.”
 
As part of this grant, breast surgeon collaborators will use OnLume’s imaging device for intraoperative visualization and assessment of small lymphatic tissue and blood vessels. The FGS imaging system may help reduce the risk of two breast cancer-related morbidities, lymphedema and tissue necrosis. This advanced capability of intraoperative imaging could improve the health and quality of life for breast cancer survivors.