Magnetic nanoparticle hyperthermia is proposed as a treatment for cancer.  It may be used as a stand-alone treatment or as a potentiator for conventional treatments, in a combination-treatment approach.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Nanoparticles are injected directly into the tumour, or they can be injected intravenously and accrete in the tumour via a process known as Enhanced Permeability and Retention (EPR).  The patient is then placed within a radio frequency (RF) magnetic field, which causes the nanoparticles to heat, destroying the cancer cells.

 

FluxMetrix engineers have been designing laboratory equipment to develop and characterise nanoparticles since 2008.

 

One problem faced by researchers is the accurate measurement of magnetic field intensity.  This was exacerbated by the lack of a field probe capable of working at the combinations of frequency and field density, required to develop nanoparticles.  Available probes would typically 'melt' in such fields, due to induced eddy-currents.

 

Our RF field probe project was inspired by a desire to bring accuracy and reproducability between measurements made at different locations and using different equipment.  It uses a novel technique to negate the problem of eddy-current heating.  Using these probes as a standard, has improved the quality and consistency of nanoparticle research.

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With a sensor head of just a few millimetres it can detect localised minor field variations. It operates with a simple interface to a computer running custom software, which presents the results clearly.

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Having developed suitable bio-compatibly coated nanoparticles, the next step was to test the heating effect on malignant tumours within living creatures.  Typically small rodents were used, because they can fit inside the test coils of available equipment.  Many experiments showed highly positive outcomes.  A New York based company claimed a total cure rate of "78 to 90%" on mice with cancerous tumours.

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The greatest barrier to scaling treatment to humans - is generating large volumes of homogeneous RF magnetic fields.

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Standard techniques such as Solenoid coils, Helmholtz coils and Maxwell coils all present insurmountable problems, at the frequencies and field-intensity required.  It has been described as "an exercise in the laws of physics conspiring against you".

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Until now!   FluxMetrix has developed a new transducer topology which overcomes the obstacles.

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FluxMetrix Ltd was formed to bring nanoparticle hyperthermia to the armory of cancer treatments.

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We are very confident that our 300mm demonstration unit will be a small stepping-stone from clinical human treatment.

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For more information, please contact us:  sales@fluxmetrix.co.uk

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