The SELAS-VIEW project aims to develop a credible, feasible, internationally competitive, and highly innovative personalized and multifunctional platform for minimally invasive, long-term, continuous monitoring of progression of metastasis in lung cancer, the leading cause of cancer deaths globally.
Cancer metastasis is a major socioeconomic challenge. According to worldwide cancer statistics, 18 million people were diagnosed with cancer and 10 million died from this disease in 2020, with 90% of deaths attributed to metastasis. Early detection of metastasis markers in blood is crucial for prompt therapeutic action that can prevent metastasis, allowing timely intervention.
SELAS-VIEW will offer a novel precision medicine solution by introducing a pre-clinically validated platform for lung cancer metastasis to the brain. The platform will consist of: a) a personalized, implantable biosensor that will detect circulating biomarkers of metastasis via appropriate receptors and converts the detected molecules into an optical signal; b) a biosensor delivery capsule comprised of a dry highly-cross-linked porous collagen scaffold; c) a patient wrist-band monitor to detect the light emitted by the cells of the biosensor and alert the patient; d) a customized mobile application to communicate with the monitor, process detected emission, infer the presence of molecules released by metastatic sells and inform the patient and the physician.
The SELAS-VIEW platform will bring substantial economic and social benefits in health care. For example, the cost savings per patient is expected to be €16,500 per year due to reduced follow-up costs; the direct cost savings per implant is expected to be €16,472 per year; 6,200 potential metastases will be detected early per year leading to prolonged, symptom-free, survival. Overall, the use of the platform will enable longer, healthier, and better quality of life as well as promote a sustainable economy.
The project’s consortium consists of 5 Cyprus-based organizations; 2 entrepreneurial, 1 academic and 2 clinical partners. The coordinator is EPOS-IASIS, a biotechnology SME in Cyprus and partners include the KIOS Center of Excellence at the University of Cyprus, the German Oncology Center, the Oncology Department of the Nicosia General Hospital, and Istognosis ltd.
The SELAS-VIEW project has received funding from the European Union– NextGenerationEU, through the Cyprus Research and Innovation Foundation / Programme RESTART 2016 – 2020/SMART GROWTH/ENTERPRISES.
