Press Release 22 May 2025
Primary Endpoint Met in the DETECT Endometriosis Imaging Study.
Serac Healthcare Limited (“Serac Healthcare” or “the Company”), a clinical radiopharmaceutical company developing 99mTc-maraciclatide, an innovative molecular imaging agent, and the Nuffield Department of Women’s and Reproductive Health announce that the primary endpoint has been met in the “Detecting Endometriosis expressed integrins using technetium-99m” (DETECT) Phase II imaging study.
Dr Tatjana Gibbons from the team running the study at the Nuffield Department of Women’s and Reproductive Health at the University of Oxford, presented the headline data on the award stage at the World Congress on Endometriosis in Sydney. The trial has demonstrated a high correlation between locations of maraciclatide uptake identified on SPECT-CT and laparoscopy across all types of endometriotic lesions, including superficial peritoneal endometriosis, which is not well visualised with existing non-invasive imaging techniques.
The study is being led by Professor Christian Becker, Co-Director of the Endometriosis CaRe Centre in Oxford, together with Professor Krina Zondervan, Co-Director of the Endometriosis CaRe Centre and Head of Department at the Nuffield Department of Women’s and Reproductive Health, University of Oxford.
Detailed results from the study will be made available later in the year.
-Ends-
findings presented at last years congress
Initial findings presented by Dr Tatjana Gibbons last year indicated that 99mTc-maraciclatide has potential as a non-invasive test for superficial peritoneal disease which cannot be detected using existing non-invasive imaging techniques; and in July 2024, 99mTc-maraciclatide was granted Fast Track Designation as a diagnostic agent for use with SPECT CT for the visualisation and diagnosis of superficial peritoneal endometriosis in women of 16 years and older.
What is Fast track designation?
Fast track is a process designed to facilitate the development and expedite the review of drugs to treat (or in our case, diagnose) serious conditions and fill an unmet medical need. Criteria include improving the diagnosis of a serious condition where early diagnosis results in an improved outcome.
About the DETECT study
The DETECT study, is led by Professor Christian Becker, Co-Director of Endometriosis CaRe Centre alongside Professor Krina Zondervan, Co-Director of the Endometriosis CaRe Centre and Head of Department at the Nuffield Department of Women’s and Reproductive Health, University of Oxford.
In the DETECT study, women with confirmed or suspected endometriosis who are due to undergo laparoscopy, a key-hole surgical procedure used to assess the organs in the abdomen and pelvis, are imaged with 99mTc-maraciclatide before laparoscopic surgery.
During surgery, tissue samples with identified endometriosis are collected and analysed to determine the presence of αvβ3. The laparoscopic and radiographic findings are compared to determine whether 99mTc-maraciclatide holds potential as a novel, non-invasive method of detecting early-stage endometriosis.
about 99mTc-maraciclatide?
99mTc-maraciclatide is a radio-labelled tracer which binds with high affinity to the cell adhesion protein αvβ3 integrin and images angiogenesis (new blood vessel formation) which is known to be critical to the establishment and growth of endometriotic lesions.