Direct-to-tumour device aids liver cancer treatment

Surefire Medical has launched the Precision, a direct-to-tumour infusion system

The Precision has the ability to treat primary liver cancers - 80% of which are inoperable.

A recent prospective clinical trial showed the Surefire infusion technology increased drug delivery into tumours by as much as 90% and reduced non-target delivery in minimally invasive chemoembolisation and radioembolisation procedures to treat primary and secondary liver cancers.

The Precision has a Surefire expandable tip to help with pressure control, a thin catheter construction and hydrophilic coating and is compatible with up to 500 μm beads to enable treatment of various disease types. The Precision has received the CE Mark and FDA clearance.

Surefire Medical’s president and CEO James Chomas, said: “The drug delivery system matters far more than previously thought. Primary liver cancers often contain regions of high pressure and no blood flow, creating a barrier to drug delivery. 

“The Surefire Precision device uniquely overcomes this obstacle by controlling pressure during drug delivery such that drug penetration into tumours  increases significantly.”

Dr Maleux, department of radiology of the University Hospitals Leuven, Belgium, said: “Chemo- and radioembolisation techniques are becoming valuable treatment options in selected patients with unresectable liver tumours.

“The Precision catheter provides us with a new interventional tool to safely and effectively deliver drug eluting and yttrium-90 microspheres within the tumour.”