Establishment of a Strategic Collaboration in the Field of Preclinical Medical Device efficacy and safety evaluation, and Use of Newly Developed Live Real time Telepathology to Report Histopathology Findings

A strategic collaboration between two of Europe’s leading pre-clinical research centers; Italy’s “Research Toxicology Centre” (RTC, www.rtc.it.), and the Spanish “Jesús Usón Minimally Invasive Surgery Centre” (CCMI, www.ccmijesususon.com) was recently established. Each institution brings many years’ experience in investigative and GLP-approved preclinical studies.

The new collaboration provides medical-device and pharma companies a single, well-coordinated “scientific management umbrella” that contains the most advanced equipment and experienced staff, bringing their clients a solution that is cost-effective and geographically close enough for monitoring. The new partnership will offer in-house, specialized micro-surgery to perform studies, as well as providing a broad selection of services within the non-clinical safety studies (i.e. in vitro and in vivo toxicology), as well as a complete range of local and systemic tolerability studies. The micro-surgery center is equipped with state of the art audio and video tools which will guide, share and document the sophisticated operations.

For greater oversight and interaction with the sponsors, this collaboration is providing the real-time, live-telepathology technology (i.e., www.augmentiqs.com). This newly developed microscope-integrated telepathology systems enables geographically remote stakeholders to view the live histopathology slide as seen by the study pathologist within the microscope. Simultaneous online viewing and dialog between study pathologist and remote colleagues is an efficient and cost-effective means for consultation, pathology working groups, and peer review, facilitating good science and economic benefits by enabling more timely and informed clinical decisions.