eShowcase: iPlan Flow

BrainLab AG (Chicago, IL) has developed a system that allows targeted drug delivery into the brain for treating tumors, a technology that the company says could improve the results of drug trials and ultimately enhance the chances of regulatory approval during trials.

iPlan Flow

iPlan Flow addresses a difficult challenge, since the tight coating of blood vessels protects the brain and prevents fluids from entering it. Delivering enough drug concentration to specific brain cells is therefore problematic due to varying fluid dynamics. The technology uses magnetic resonance imaging to develop a three-dimensional image of the patient's brain. Then, it calculates the drug's distribution patterns, enabling a surgeon to identify the proper locations to place fluid delivery catheters. Potential applications include chemotherapy, gene therapy, molecular-targeted therapy, immunotherapy, and radio-immunotherapy.