Smart Microrobotic Biopsy: A Leap Forward in Brain Disease Diagnosticsbroad
SmartMicroBiopsy · Horizon Europe grant · 2025-07-01–2027-06-30
EC contribution
Total cost
Beneficiaries
About the data
Source: CORDIS (official EU open data), Horizon Europe. Framework HORIZON · call HORIZON-EIC-2024-ACCELERATOR-02 · scheme HORIZON-EIC-ACC · topic HORIZON-EIC-2024-ACCELERATOROPEN-01. CORDIS record →
Objective
Over 1B people worldwide suffer from brain diseases, including neurodegenerative disorders, cancers, and functional conditions like epilepsy and depression, incurring an annual treatment cost of €1.7T. Specifically in Europe, the cost reached €800B in 2010, increasing each year. Annually, 350k people are diagnosed with primary brain tumours, resulting in 250k deaths. Additionally, brain metastases affect over 1M individuals yearly.Addressing this socio-economic challenge requires precise medical interventions. Current tools in neurosurgery, such as catheters, needles, and electrodes, are limited to straight paths dictated by the initial skull opening, restricting access to critical tumour sites and thus limiting treatment options.Robeaute's microrobotics is transforming robotic surgery by enhancing surgical precision and introducing micro and nano techniques for targeting cells directly, facilitating improved diagnostics and treatments. These microrobots perform intricate 3D movements, allowing unprecedented access to critical areas affected by brain diseases. Unlike traditional passive microrobots, which rely on large coils and cannot perform biopsies, Robeaute is pioneering an active, self-propelled microrobot designed for in vivo intracerebral 3D navigation, leading to 54 patent filings.WIth EIC support, Robeaute aims to conduct First in Human and pivotal clinical trials targeting the brain biopsy market, focusing initially on challenging areas such as paediatric brainstem tumours, recurrent tumours requiring multiple biopsies, primary tumours for comprehensive profiling, and metastases unresponsive to traditional treatments. These specific niches represent a potential market of €0.3B in the US and Europe. The broader biopsy market, valued at €3.67B, is expanding with the rise of personalised therapies for brain tumours, necessitating increased biopsy procedures to aid in treatment selection and the development of personalised treatments like cancer vaccines.
Beneficiaries (1)
| Organisation | Country | Role | EC contribution | SME |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Robeaute | FR | coordinator | €2,496,931 | Yes |
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