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Kirkstall Limited, a subsidiary of Imaging Biometrics Ltd (LSE:IBAI, FRA:5Y1), has been awarded funding to develop a microfluidic model of glioblastoma, the most aggressive form of brain cancer in adults. The grant is being provided under a joint initiative between the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and the National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3Rs) through their Business Interaction Voucher scheme.
Kirkstall, a company focused on organ-on-a-chip technology, will work with Nottingham Trent University on the programme, which is led by Professor Gareth Cave of NTU’s School of Science and Technology. The project is designed to address a major challenge in glioblastoma drug development: the blood-brain barrier, the brain’s protective shield that restricts many potential therapies from reaching tumour cells.
Existing animal-based models often do not replicate the blood-brain barrier accurately, contributing to a gap between early-stage results and later clinical effectiveness. The Kirkstall platform will grow human-derived cells inside a microfluidic chip to form a synthetic blood-brain barrier. Glioblastoma cells will then be introduced to model tumour development and to assess how candidate compounds penetrate and reach the cancer.
The fluid will flow through the device in a way intended to replicate blood movement through vessels. Advanced imaging techniques—including microscopy, ultrasound and MRI—will be used to monitor tumour development and drug penetration within the microfluidic system.
Glioblastoma has a poor prognosis. Most patients survive just ten to fifteen months after diagnosis, and fewer than 6% survive beyond five years.
Trevor Brown, chief executive of Imaging Biometrics, said the award validates the group’s rationale for acquiring Kirkstall in October. He noted that Imaging Biometrics now holds two complementary platforms for glioblastoma: Kirkstall’s tumour microenvironment modelling technology and Imaging Biometrics’ MRI analysis software.
Professor Cave said the project has the potential to fundamentally change how glioblastoma treatments are developed. Kirkstall is a co-funder of the programme alongside the two research councils.
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