Taking TransiCap to market (MAGIC3)
Funded by NIHR Invention for Innovation (i4i), awarded £1,471,514.
Key contact: Professor Luca Marciani
Key LinCTU contact: Dr Zahid Asghar
Team
This project is supported by a large team encompassing patient and public co-applicants, universities (Nottingham, UCL, Lincoln with its CTU), hospitals (NUH, UCLH, GOSH), a medical device manufacturer (JEB Technologies), a medical image analysis SME (Motilent), and supporting infrastructure (NIHR BRCs, CRF, HRC, RSS, and HIEM and CHEATA) and a group of leading clinical advisors.
Overarching aim
This project stems from 2 previous i4i PDAs MAGIC (MAGnetic resonance Imaging in Constipation) and MAGIC 2 (A multicentre pragmatic clinical investigation to assess the efficacy of TransiCap MRI marker device in magnetic resonance imaging in paediatric constipation).
We designed and manufactured novel mini-capsules devices to measure whole gut transit time using magnetic resonance imaging or MRI. They are small and made of inert plastic material. They are filled with liquid that provides a unique MRI signature. This allows to image the position of the mini-capsules in the body and, in turn, to assess whole gut transit time.
The MAGIC project’s overarching question is: can we develop a new, simple and widely applicable method to provide objective measurements of gastrointestinal transit time and at the same time high quality, cross-sectional imaging of the bowel without exposing patients to ionising radiation, to replace the old X-ray radiopaque markers (ROMs) test used for this purpose since the 1980s?
Our previous projects have shown that it is feasible to manufacture, ingest and image TransiCap in the body.
The specific question for this new project is: can we take TransiCap to market?
Main objectives
To carry out a clinical trial in young and adult patients with constipation from 3 hospitals. This will show whether the real-world use of TransiCap works well and can diagnose slow transit constipation.
To use these data to support market approval for TransiCap and its adoption in the NHS.
Impact
An objective measure of the gut transit time available early in the clinical pathway can help to direct early selection of therapy.