News and Events > New MicroFlex Tool for Early Detection of Lung Cancer Focus of NIH Grant to Rose Biomedical and University of Colorado

New MicroFlex Tool for Early Detection of Lung Cancer Focus of NIH Grant to Rose Biomedical and University of Colorado

June 30, 2005

Denver, CO (June , 2005) - The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute at the National Institutes of Health have awarded a $147,075 Phase I Small Business Technology Transfer grant to Denver-based Rose Biomedical and their partner, the University of Colorado. The grant will support initial research in the use of a new flexible, miniaturized diagnostic tool, called the MicroFlex Scope, to aid in the early detection of lung cancer.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States, with less than 15% of patients surviving 5 years after the diagnosis. Early diagnosis and treatment are key to improving an individual's chances of survival. The new tool being developed under this grant, designed with a 1mm diameter, will have flexibility to navigate small areas in the lung that are currently inaccessible by bronchoscope. The research project will blend the experience and skills of Dr. Dale Lawrence, inventor and a University of Colorado at Boulder engineering professor, with the program management skills of Rose Biomedical, and the clinical experience of Dr. Edward Dempsey, Professor of Pulmonary Medicine at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center and the Chief, Pulmonary & Critical Care, at the Denver VA Medical Center. "If we can use this new tool to diagnose lung disease while it is still in Stage I by directly visualizing and sampling tissue in the outer sections of the lungs," said Dr. Dempsey, "we can treat it and potentially dramatically improve 5 year survival rates."

In addition to lung cancer detection, the MicroFlex technology may be applied to a variety of other medical applications. "We're excited about the potential of this technology to access a wide range of small areas of the anatomy that are difficult to reach," said Dr. Dale Lawrence, the inventor. "Ultimately, the new tool may prove to be useful for a variety of medical applications, including diagnostic and surgical care in newborns and children."

About Rose Biomedical
Rose Biomedical partners with companies, medical professionals and inventors to develop and commercialize medical products that improve the quality of care while reducing the cost. Rose Biomedical assists partners in securing resources to implement the next developmental steps towards commercializing products and accelerating the time to market to benefit medical professionals and consumers. Rose Biomedical has worked with partners to secure over $18 million in funding, develop and refine products, conduct clinical research, publish academic data, establish patents and intellectual property, and license and commercialize products. For more information, contact us at our website, www.rosebiomed.com.