Theromics — Improving Tumor Ablation Efficacy
Theromics has developed HeatSYNC, a nanoscale biopolymer that makes minimally invasive cancer ablations more effective.
The Problem
Microwave and Radiofrequency Ablation of tumors are a rapidly growing segment of the cancer treatment market. They are biopsy-like procedures that are minimally invasive and repeatable. Despite these advantages, thermal ablation has limitations as a cancer therapy due to incomplete ablation at margins caused by “Heat Sinks”, insufficient energy penetration caused by ellipsoid shaped energy field and targeting inaccuracy. These limitations lead to up to a 30% tumor recurrence rate.
What The Company Does
Theromics has developed HeatSYNC™, a novel biopolymer thermal accelerant (TA). HeatSYNC, which is used with all standard MWV and RF systems, augments heat generated from the energy producing probes that are inserted into the tumor to heat the tumor and kill it. This augmentation is controllable and creates larger ablation volumes in a shorter treatment time. A gel blocks energy penetration on the other side, mitigating the heat sink effect of vessels and protecting critical tissue. Made of naturally occurring substances, the gel stays in place when deposited via syringe allowing customized and personalized ablation volumes specific to the size and shape of the lesion. After successful animal trials, Theromics is poised for formal GLP testing leading to an FDA submission.
The Market
As of 2016, the global ablation market for cancer treatment is $1.4B and is predicted to grow 10% annually, which would lead to a $3.5B market by 2024. No one else has developed a thermal accelerant for this application, making HeatSYNC will be the first of its kind on the market. Tumor ablation is their initial focus but the team has identified additional applications for the technology. HeatSYNC™ has the potential be used in other malignancies or non-cancer treatment of prostate (BPH), lung (emphysema), and abnormal uterine bleeding.
Business Model
Theromics plans to develop a multi-pronged marketing strategy that involves a combination of internal personnel and outsourced vendors. Their thermal accelerant product will be sold in partnership with system and probe manufacturers who have a built-in direct sales/distributor network resulting in market leaders becoming customers. They anticipate HeatSYNC being packaged with or incorporated into most ablations procedures in the near future.
Traction
Theromics has had numerous and repeated discussions about early stage collaborations with all of the major ablation platform companies. The technology still needs FDA approval and is currently positioned for an FDA CL II Medical Device De Novo submission. Theromics anticipates receiving a NCI/SBIR grant in the very near future and has submitted numerous DoD grant applications for Liver, Lung and other cancer applications. Their work has been recently published in the Journal of Vascular and Interventional Radiology and was recently presented a poster at the 2020 Society of Interventional Oncology Meeting in New Orleans.
Founding Team Background
Theromics is led by CEO Ronald Murphy, who has held multiple C-Suite positions within med device companies and was a former healthcare investment banker at Merrill Lynch . Damian Dupuy, MD serves as the teams CMO and is currently Director of Ablation at Cape Cod Hospital. William Park rounds out the leadership team, serving as the VP/CSO. Park was the lead inventor of HeatSYNC and was a former Director of Molecular Imaging at Brown University.
What They Need Help With
Theromics is currently looking for intros to investors, potential research collaborators, and someone to help with product development. Connect with the Theromics Team.
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