HIGHLIGHTS
- Dr Tatjana Gibbons will be presenting findings at the SRI Annual Scientific Meeting
- Patient Impact: With endometriosis affecting one in 10 women globally, a reliable diagnostic tool could significantly improve patient outcomes and reduce healthcare costs.
- Diagnostic Hope: this could be a non-invasive method for detecting early-stage endometriosis.
- The DETECT study, led by Professors Christian Becker and Krina Zondervan explores the potential of visualizing endometriosis, including hard-to-detect superficial peritoneal disease, using Serac's innovative imaging agent.
- The Imaging Agent: 99mTc-maraciclatide, a radio-labeled tracer, shows promise in imaging angiogenesis - a crucial process in the development of endometriotic lesions.
- Study Progress: The study has advanced with participants undergoing imaging.
Dr Tatjana Gibbons, the lead investigator in the groundbreaking "Detecting Endometriosis expressed integrins using technetium-99m" imaging (DETECT) study, will take centre stage at the upcoming Society for Reproductive Investigation (SRI) annual meeting in Vancouver in March.
Serac Healthcare Ltd, a leading clinical radiopharmaceutical company, is making waves with its cutting-edge imaging agent for endometriosis. The company proudly announced the acceptance of an abstract featuring preliminary data from the initial patient cohort.
Dr Tatjana Gibbons will be presenting her findings from this study on Friday 15th March at 11.45am, as part of the Gynaecology II session.
The DETECT Study
The study aims to assess the feasibility of visualising challenging-to-detect disease, endometriosis, by using 99mTc-maraciclatide and SPECT-CT imaging. Both Professor Krina Zondervan and Professor Christian Becker, are Principal Investigators for the study.
In the DETECT study, women with confirmed or suspected endometriosis scheduled for laparoscopy, a minimally invasive procedure to examine abdominal and pelvic organs, undergo imaging with 99mTc-maraciclatide before the surgery. Tissue samples containing identified endometriosis are collected and analyzed during the procedure to check for the presence of αvβ3. Comparing findings from laparoscopy and radiography helps determine if 99mTc-maraciclatide could be a new and non-invasive way to detect early-stage endometriosis.
The DETECT study, a groundbreaking research initiative, is a collaborative effort sponsored by the Oxford Endometriosis CaRe Centre and the Nuffield Department of Women’s and Reproductive Health at Oxford University. This innovative study is made possible through funding from Serac Healthcare Ltd, who is not only supporting the research financially but also providing the experimental imaging marker, 99mTc-maraciclatide. This collaboration aims to explore the feasibility of using this advanced imaging agent in detecting endometriosis, with the potential to revolutionize diagnostic methods for this common inflammatory disease affecting millions of women worldwide.
What is endometriosis?
Endometriosis is an inflammatory disease affecting approximately 190 million women globally (equivalent to one in 10 women of childbearing age). It occurs when the endometrial tissue lining the uterus appears outside of the uterus (mainly in the pelvis, fallopian tubes or ovaries). This displacement of endometrial tissue can result in inflammation, the development of nerve supply, and the distortion of normal anatomy, leading to significant pain and infertility. Diagnosing endometriosis often entails numerous visits to healthcare professionals, multiple scans, laparoscopic surgery and corrective procedures. It currently takes an average of 7.5 years to diagnose the disease due to the limitations in current diagnostic methods so this study could have a huge impact on women worldwide.
David Hail, Chief Executive Officer of Serac Healthcare, said: “This is a potentially hugely exciting additional use for maraciclatide. There are significant unmet medical needs in the diagnosis and treatment of endometriosis. A definitive tool to diagnose and monitor endometriosishas the potential to significantly improve patient outcomes, reduce healthcare costs and could assist in the development of new therapies.”
About Serac Healthcare Ltd
Serac Healthcare is a leading clinical radiopharmaceutical company dedicated to discovering, developing, and commercialising innovative molecular imaging technologies. Focused on personalised medicine in the fields of endometriosis and inflammatory arthritis, Serac Healthcare aims to bring effective tools to the market for accelerated diagnosis and improved treatment decisions.
Register for the SRI Annual Scientific Meeting here
For more information
Francetta Carr, Communications for Serac Healthcare Ltd
francettacarr@seraclifesciences.com
Rob Phillips, Communications for Nuffield Department of Women’s & Reproductive Health