13 Sep Imaging Biometrics lands $107K National Cancer Institute grant
Milwaukee, Wis. – Imaging Biometrics, LLC, a provider of advanced visualization and analytical software solutions, has announced that it has received a Phase I Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant from the National Cancer Institute. The $107,000 award will fund research and development of advanced image analysis tools to improve breast cancer diagnosis. The ultimate goal is to provide more accurate information about whether a tumor is benign or malignant, so that the number of unnecessary biopsies can be drastically reduced, and treatments can be planned on a more individualized basis.
IB’s FDA cleared product, IB Neuro, uses proprietary algorithms that enable physicians to make clear distinctions between normal and abnormal brain tissue. The approach is unique in how it accounts for contrast agent leakage across the blood brain barrier (BBB). Cancerous tumors outside of the brain are even more prone to contrast leakage due to the lack of a protective BBB. Preliminary results have shown IB’s technology to work under these conditions. That’s promising news for the 2.4 million breast cancer patients.
Moreover, in March 2007, the American Cancer Society recommended that women with a high risk of breast cancer should have an annual MRI scan. This grant will accelerate IB’s assessment whether its proprietary technology is superior over conventional breast imaging techniques.
“Our product roadmap leads to the development of advanced imaging products and solutions to areas outside the brain. This grant aligns perfectly with our strategy and will help get us there faster”, said Michael Schmainda, IB’s president and CEO.
About Imaging Biometrics, LLC
Imaging Biometrics develops and provides visualization and analytical solutions that enable clinicians to better diagnose and treat diseases with greater confidence. Through close collaboration with top researchers and clinicians, sophisticated advancements are translated into platform-independent software plug-ins which can extend the base functionality of workstations, imaging systems, PACS, or medical viewers. By design, IB’s advanced visualization software seamlessly integrates into routine clinical workflows.