Market - NanoEcho

Health and economic benefits of local surgery

Most patients diagnosed with early rectal cancer are recommended to undergo a complicated surgical procedure in combination with radiotherapy.

Many patients needlessly undergo this major procedure. We want to change this because we believe that a less complicated procedure has fewer negative medical consequences and means an increased quality of life for the patient. The procedure is also more cost-effective because fewer resources are required, and the patient can leave the hospital on the same day.

Reduced health care costs

Reduced cost of the procedure
Fewer hospital days associated with the procedures
Lower cost for complications
Reduced need for continuous return visits and follow-up
Free up healthcare resources

Better quality of life

Stoma can be avoided
Avoids complications at surgical joints
Lower risk of infections
Lower risk of complications
Preservation of normal urinary bladder emptying and sexual function

50% increase in the number of people with rectal cancer

Increasingly more people will be affected by rectal cancer; the number affected is expected to increase by 50% globally by 2030. This is mainly due to two factors: increased lifespan and the spread of the Western lifestyle.

Estimated global market potential for NanoEcho’s system.

Screening means that more people are diagnosed at an early stage

Screening for colorectal cancer has been introduced in large parts of Europe and is now gradually being introduced at national level in Sweden. This means a strong growth in the number of rectal cancers detected at an early stage of the disease; the proportion detected early is expected to double according to many observers. As a result, and because of the lack of reliable mapping of cancer spread to nearby lymph nodes, more patients are at risk of needlessly undergoing a complicated and risky surgical procedure. In many cases, a minor procedure would suffice. The number of patients who may benefit from NanoEcho’s innovation will thus increase considerably.

Diagnosing physician

The primary end users of NanoEcho equipment are surgeons and other physicians involved in diagnostics at the hospitals treating rectal cancer patients. NanoEcho aims primarily to engage influential rectal cancer surgeons at university hospitals in Sweden and then similarly on the European market.

Future potential of the method

The next step is to develop NanoEcho’s method for other diagnostics.

Prostate cancer

Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers. Although the five-year survival rate is currently over 90%, there are opportunities and improvement potential in the diagnosis and mapping of the cancer. After minor adjustments, our probe will also be able to be used to image relevant areas around the prostate.

We estimate that clinical studies can start 2–3 years after the technical development of the equipment has started.

Arteriosclerosis

Arteriosclerosis means that there is an injury inside a blood vessel that leads to deposits (plaque), which make it difficult for the blood to pass through. These plaques can detach and cause a blood clot. Unstable and dangerous plaques could attract nanoparticles via immune cells; these could then be detected by our imaging method.

We estimate that clinical trials can start approx. 4–6 years from the start of the technical development of the equipment.

Stem cell therapy

Extensive research in stem cell therapy is currently under way. The treatment is based on the body’s ability to repair itself. Stem cells are added to stimulate the reconstruction of the damaged organ. One possible application for the imaging system is to monitor the process by preparing the stem cells with nanoparticles.

The area is still at the research stage.