Knee-imaging innovators’ cash boost

Feb 28 2008 by Sion Barry, Western Mail

A CARDIFF UNIVERSITY spin-out company pioneering new technology in bone and soft tissue imaging has received a significant investment boost.

Demasq’s first product, the Degenerative Knee Indicator (DKI), aims to provide surgeons, radiologists, physiotherapists and GPs with more image detail, at less cost than conventional knee imaging technologies.

The DKI image aims to provide the soft tissue detail achievable with MRI combined with the bone detail of an X-ray.

Demasq aims to launch the DKI in the UK and US in 2009. In parallel, Demasq is generating a pipeline of additional products for a range of imaging applications.

It has received a £450,000 investment from the university IP commercialisation company that turns world-class research into business.

Demasq is a new spin-out company from Biofusion’s partnership with Cardiff University and is the result of work carried out by Professor Hechmi Toumi, a specialist at the muscle-bone-tendon unit of the School of Biosciences. Professor Toumi, a former French international long jumper, has been advised in his work by Professor John Fairclough, consultant orthopaedic surgeon at University Hospital of Wales and a leading knee specialist.

Biofusion’s investment sees it taking a 50% shareholding in Demasq.

Knee pain is the most common musculoskeletal complaint for which patients seek medical advice. In the United States, every year nearly 20 million people visit their physician with knee problems.

The launch of Demasq brings the total number of companies in the Biofusion portfolio to 25.

David Baynes, chief executive of Biofusion, said, “We are very excited by the cutting-edge advanced medical imaging technology that Demasq has developed.

“Its first product, which targets the multi-million-pound knee pain diagnosis market, has the potential to revolutionise the diagnosis of knee problems for patients.

“We are particularly excited by the speed with which we believe we can launch the first product into the US and UK private sector markets.”

Professor Toumi of Cardiff University’s School of Biosciences, said, “This is an exciting venture which promises to alter our perception of the conventional use of X-rays.

“The soft tissues which have been invisible in the past are exactly the ones where most disease processes occur.

“The Degenerative Knee Indicator allows clinicians to determine the health or otherwise of these soft tissues.”

Professor Fairclough, of the University Hospital Wales, said, “The Demasq imaging technique offers to the medical world a revolutionary method of viewing conventional X-rays which will be of great potential benefit to both the medical practitioners and the providers of the health care.

“This exciting invention will potentially offer that rare combination of providing new information to clinicians to help patients while potentially reducing the cost to the health service.”