Minimally invasive technologies for skin cancer
There is a clear unmet need for minimally invasive diagnostics and more effective therapeutics in dermatology. Dr Prow has contributed to this by inventing, developing, patenting and publishing two innovative technologies: Microbiopsy and Foroderm.
Microbiopsy is a multilayered micro-needle device to take skin samples without the need for local anesthetic.
Foroderm is a transdermal drug delivery platform, which is overcoming the need for multiple doses of topical skin cancer treatments.
| Head Researcher | Dr Tarl Prow |
|---|---|
| Team Members |
|
| Body Part |
Skin |
| Equipment Used |
Invented, developed, published and patented two innovative technologies: Microbiopsy and Foroderm |
| Process Used | |
| Research Areas |
Technology development, imaging, molecular technologies |
| Disease | Cancer |
| Tags |
Minimally invasive diagnostics, microbiopsy, drug delivery, microparticle, nanoparticle |
| Commercial Partnerships |
Currently negotiating partnerships |
| Institutions |
University of Queensland, Princess Alexandra Hospital and collaborators in Europe and USA |
About the Project
Dermatology in general, and skin cancer diagnosis in particular, is traditionally limited to visual inspection and histopathological confirmation, both being morphological techniques provided by experts.
Topical therapeutics for skin cancer are subject to high recurrence rates and side effects.
Unlike other medical disciplines, dermatology is on the verge of falling behind the imaging and molecular technology curve. There is a clear unmet need for minimally invasive diagnostics and more effective therapeutics in dermatology.
Dr Prow and team are inventing, developing, patenting and publishing on two innovative technologies to address this need.
Their efforts have resulted in a combined nine years of ARC/NHMRC research funding (with Dr Prow as CIA), three patent families and nine publications over the last three years.
Microbiopsy
Dr Prow’s Translational Research Institute team has worked closely with Princess Alexandra Hospital Dermatologists to develop a multilayered microneedle device to take skin samples without the need for local anesthetic or sutures.
The Microbiopsy enables researchers to take multiple samples of volunteer skin over time. This has never been possible in clinical or animal research until now and opens up new research avenues for studying molecular changes in skin cancer as it happens.
Not only will we learn more about the mechanisms of skin disease, but this innovation will also reduce the need to conduct animal research. Dr Prow’s team is using this device to monitor the molecular changes that lead to UV induced skin cancer, melanoma.
Dr Prow also has microbiopsy collaborations within Australia, Europe and the USA on a diverse range of skin biology and pathology research programs. He is currently negotiating licensing arrangements with commercial partners that have diverse application pipelines for this technology.
Foroderm
Dr Prow’s transdermal drug delivery platform technology, Foroderm, is overcoming the need for topical skin cancer treatments to require multiple doses to address cancer recurrence. The technology utilizes high-aspect ratio microparticles mixed with the therapeutic formulation and gently painted onto skin with a microtextured, 3D printed applicator. Foroderm overcomes the diseased skin barrier through physical disruption of the outer layers.
Queensland is the epicentre for non-melanoma skin cancer and is the focal point for developing this technology. Therefore, Queenslanders will be among the first to benefit from this technology.
Dr Prow is currently conducting clinical trials by closely collaborating with Queensland Dermatologists to help translate this technology into practice.
The Foroderm technology is being evaluated by several multinational skin care companies including pharma companies that are keen to improve their topical skin cancer therapeutics. There have been several academic and clinical collaborations that have emerged since Dr Prow joined the TRI in 2013, but importantly also a commercial collaboration within the TRI.
Foroderm is also being evaluated by industry for topical vaccine delivery.
Overall, the timing and nature of these projects maximise the potential for global impact on skin research and healthcare. The TRI is the ideal environment for this type of innovative translational research because there is the unique combination of active academic, clinical and commercial entities that all have the same goal: to improve healthcare globally.
Translational Research - Milestone T2
Dr Prow is currently negotiating licensing arrangements with commercial partners that have diverse application pipelines for the Microbiopsy technology. He is currently conducting clinical trials with Foroderm, which is also being evaluated by several multinational skin care companies including pharma companies that are keen to improve their topical skin cancer therapeutics.
> If you would like more information on these technologies and Dr Prow’s work, contact: [email protected]
Dr Tarl Prow
