Cambridge Enterprise(Opens in a new window), part of the University of Cambridge, is one of the world’s most successful technology transfer offices. Together with Cambridge Advance Online, they lead our Research Commercialisation and Technology Transfer course. In this article, originally published by Cambridge Enterprise, they share their work with consultancy Health Tech Enterprise to develop the CamPROBE device for prostate cancer diagnosis.

Transforming the process of prostate cancer diagnosis.

November saw the launch of a revolutionary device that is set to transform the process of prostate cancer diagnosis. The Cambridge Prostate Biopsy Device (CamPROBE) is designed to reduce the risk of infection, compared with traditional transrectal biopsies, and improve the experience for patients. The cost is also expected to be less than half that of existing devices.

With one in eight men diagnosed with prostate cancer, urology expert Prof Vincent Gnanapragasam and his team at the University of Cambridge and Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Trust devised the CamPROBE with the aim of making prostate biopsy simple, safe and affordable.

Traditionally, prostate cancer has been diagnosed with a transrectal needle biopsy of the prostate, guided by an ultrasound probe inserted into the rectum. This approach carries a significant risk of side effects, including urinary infections and severe sepsis, as the needle traverses the rectal wall a number of times on the way to the prostate. As a result, medical and professional bodies now advocate using the transperineal route (the space between the legs and under the scrotum) instead.

“In a multi-centre clinical investigation study, there were no reports of infections, device deficiencies or safety issues from the use of the device – and cancer detection rates were equivalent to other means of biopsy. Procedure times were short and only low amounts of local anaesthetic were required, yet low pain scores were reported by patients. More than 85% of patients said they would recommend the CamPROBE procedure to someone else as a method of having a prostate biopsy done.”

Vincent Gnanapragasam, University Professor in Urology in Cambridge

The CamPROBE is designed to be a cost-effective, simple way of accessing the prostate via the transperineal route in an outpatient setting. Unlike existing biopsy devices, it requires only two incisions instead of the typical 12. And it incorporates a needle to deliver local anaesthetic—sheathed within a coaxial cannula for ease of use.

Cambridge Enterprise worked with healthcare innovation consultancy Health Tech Enterprise to secure intellectual property protection for the CamPROBE device. They also helped with the procurement of grant funding from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) to enable the CamPROBE device to be refined, clinically evaluated and, ultimately, commercialised.

The CamPROBE inventors worked with product development company JEB Technologies to secure CE marking for the device. Cambridge Enterprise has now signed a licensing agreement for CamPROBE with JEB Technologies.

JEB Technologies launched CamPROBE at MEDICA 2022 in Düsseldorf, Germany, on 14-17 November. There was a demonstration of the device on stand H52 in hall 16.

CamPROBE was supported by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre (BRC-1215-20014) and NIHR Cambridge Clinical Research Facility and funded by the NIHR i4i (Invention for Innovation) product development award.

“The sheathed, coaxial cannula design means CamPROBE can be used to carry out biopsies under local anaesthetic by a single operator with one assistant. As well as being a free-hand device, the low cost of CamPROBE sets it apart from other devices that use the transperineal route.”

Sean License, Head of Medical Devices, JEB Technologies

This article was originally published by Cambridge Enterprise on 8 November 2022.

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