ANNUAL REVIEW | 2016
| 13
COMPANION TECHNOLOGIES
IAP device to
assist keyhole
surgery
The intra-abdominal
platform (IAP), a
device to assist
keyhole surgery
in the abdomen,
enables surgeons
to grasp and retract
tissues within the
operating site,
minimising the need
for assistants.
Originally funded with an IKC
proof of concept grant and led
by surgeon Professor David
Jayne from the University of
Leeds and Dr Pete Culmer
from the University’s School of
Mechanical Engineering, IAP
secured £0.5m from the NIHR’s
i4i scheme in 2015, which aims
to take proof of concept projects
through to market.
The team has been working
with product design
consultancy, Pd-m, to
Creavo launches
from quantum
spin-out
A former spin-out
company, set up
at the University of
Leeds, has flourished
into a multi-award
winning medical
technology company,
securing nearly £5m
investment in the past
12 months.
Creavo Medical Technologies,
previously known as Quantum
Imaging, was set up to
develop and commercialise
diagnostic technology that could
revolutionise the way the NHS
diagnoses patients with suspected
heart-related problems.
The underpinning technology
was developed with funding
and professional support from
the Medical Technologies IKC.
Creavo has now recruited 15
staff and opened a 5000 sq
ft commercial facility in the
Midlands – as well as being
recognised in three national
awards.
“Creavo is growing pretty rapidly
now and we’ve made a definite
transition from being a quantum
physics company working in
healthcare to a fully credible
rationalise the prototype design,
with input from a clinical
advisory group of surgeons and
clinicians and a ‘box trainer’ has
been produced to demonstrate
the device.
For commercial feasibility
purposes, IAP’s initial prototype
design concept has progressed
from a complex-structured,
stainless steel, reusable device
to a streamlined single-use,
injection moulded polymer
device which can support the
weight of the retracted tissues –
and crucially, is much cheaper
to manufacture.
“With Health Economics
and manufacturing cost
reports completed, we’ve
had significant commercial
interest,” says Dr Culmer.
“We’re supporting licensing
opportunities with extended
testing with cadaveric
models and surgical users
and producing technical
documentation to secure
regulatory approval.”
healthcare company,” says CEO
Steve Parker.
The company is set to trial its first
device, Vitalscan, in a 750-strong
patient study, carried out across
the UK’s foremost emergency
department research sites. A
multi-centre US study will follow,
which will provide the basis
for the company to launch the
scanner into the market.
Further recruitment is planned
during 2016 and 2017 and the
company is also developing a
second commercial line for the
scanner, for use in cardiology
departments to support research
into cardiac arrhythmia. n