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Ian’s Biography
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BSc & PhD (Physics) and MBA
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OCLI - Optical thin films
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VISION – CMOS imagers
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Terahertz Photonics – Optical Communications Components
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Biosensia – Roadside drugs of abuse testing
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Ambicare – Wearable light sources for skin cancer
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Company Overview
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Private venture capital backed company
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Spin-out from St Andrews University and Tayside Health Board
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Ambulatory lighting technologies for medical and consumer applications
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ISO 13485 qualified with first product CE marked and launching in Europe
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Medical: Treatment:
Ambulight: PDT
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Skin Cancer
• Skin cancer incidence growing rapidly
• 15% of UK, 40% of American, 75% of Australian population are affected
• Ambulight: PDT
– Potential to be used in ~ 40% of non-melanoma skin cancer treatments
• Incidence of skin cancer doubling every ten years
USA market data
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PDT
• What is Photodynamic Therapy (PDT)?
Wait 3 hours
ALA metabolised to Light
sensitive Proto porphyrin
PP9 only within the tumour
Application of ALA*
cream at tumour site
*5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA)
Presence of light causes
PP9 to produce singlet
Oxygen leading to local
cellular destruction within
the tumour only
Illumination of tumour
region with high intensity
Light source
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Existing Treatment Techniques
• Conventional Outpatient PDT
– Laser / ILED / bulb based light sources
• Large and expensive stationary light sources used
– Six hours at clinic as a day patient
– Costly / nurse intensive
– Inconvenient for patient and healthcare provider
• Treatment can be uncomfortable for patient
• However, a preferred treatment technique
– High tumour selectivity
– Curative in 70% + of lesions (after 2 treatments)
– Relatively pain free (in ~ 75 % of cases)
– Excellent cosmetic result
– Non – Invasive
– Minimal side effects
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Ambulight: PDT
• World’s first light emitting sticking plaster to treat non melanoma skin cancer
– Low light intensity
– Low power consumption allows ambulatory product
– Wavelength matched to PDT cream
• Product CE marked and about to launch in Europe
• Currently being taken through regulatory approval in the USA, Australia and other
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countries
Significant benefits over competing products and methods
Potential to transform patient care by enabling “normal life” during treatment
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Ambulight: PDT
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Typical Device Treatment Cycle
Device applied at same
time as PDT cream
Device worn during normal
daily activities
Device disposed
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Ambulight PDT: Pilot Clinical Trial
Patient
Diagnosis
Lesion
size (cm)
1st Rx
2nd Rx
Outcome at 6 months
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Bowens
1.1
Oct '05
Nov '05
Clear
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Bowens
1.1
Oct '05
Nov '05
Fail peripheral margin
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SBCC
1.7
Nov '05
Dec '05
Clear
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Bowens
1.2
Nov '05
Dec '05
Clear
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SBCC
1.6
Feb '06
March '06
Clear
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Bowens
0.7
Feb '06
March '06
Clear
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SBCC
1.5
Feb '06
March '06
Clear
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Bowens
1.7
Feb '06
April '06
Fail peripheral margins
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Bowens
1.0
Feb '06
April '06
Clear
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Bowens
0.6
March '06
April '06
Clear
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SBCC
1.9
March '06
April '06
Fail peripheral margins
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Bowens
1.1
April '06
June '06
Clear
• Shows equivalence to existing PDT treatment methods
• > 70% clearance rate
• using 1/10th the intensity for 10 times as long
• Reduced pain
• Patient testimonials
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Ambulight: PDT
Benefits to healthcare providers
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Changes the way in which doctors can treat skin cancer
– Home
– Family doctor
Simple and easy to use
Potentially frees up hospital beds
Less costly
High patient throughput
Benefits to Patients
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Transition bulky light sources to
small and portable
More comfortable treatment
Equivalence or improved treatment success rate
Reduced scarring
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Economics of treatment
Patient Journey
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GP consultation ( x 1 or more)
Dermatologist consultation ( x 3 or more)
Transport to and from hospital
Local anaesthetic (if pain experienced)
Hospital cubicle / day patient bed space
Nurse time
Other overhead e.g. Health and safety on laser equipment, eye
protection goggles, air coolers for skin
PDT cream cost
Ambulight PDT light source*
• *cost of items highlighted in red can be removed or greatly reduced by
introduction of Ambulight PDT light source over conventional light source
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How do you build
a university technology spin-out?
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Migrating Researchers into Entrepreneurs
and into Start-Up companies
• IP filing and commercial assessment
• Deciding what you want from it
• Recognise your strength and weaknesses and build a team
• Never be afraid to ask for advice but seek it from multiple sources
• Do your home work and write a good business plan (through collaboration if
necessary). Plan your fund raising
• Be prepared for the highs, lows and unknowns.... And hope for a bit of luck on
the way
• Why do I love it.... You will never have two days the same
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What’s the challenges of
interdisciplinary teams?
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What’s the challenges of interdisciplinary teams
(in healthcare)?
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You have more views to accommodate and manage
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If more people have been involved in the invention then more people looking for a
share of the equity (individuals and institutions)
– Can take longer to reach agreement on licence contracts or company set up
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You may have more technology monitoring to do to remain competitive in your
market place
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In healthcare the time from patent filing to establishing validity of concept in patients
can be quite long
– Increased cost
– Takes longer to establish value; this impacts how you raise finance
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info@ambicarehealth.com
Thank you for your attention
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