The US FDA has granted 510(k) clearance (K220477) for the use of the Cellvizio 100 Series platform with a molecular imaging agent called Pafolacianine (Cytalux) for real-time in vivo visualization during endoscopic, laparoscopic, and needle-based procedures, according to Mauna Kea Technologies.

This US FDA clearance is for a new clinical indication for the use of Cellvizio to perform fluorescence imaging of tissues that have taken up the drug Pafolacianine (Cytalux, On Target Laboratories) consistent with its approved use and administration labeling. Additionally, the clearance includes a new clinical indication for the use of Cellvizio to perform fluorescence imaging and visualization of ICG (indocyanine green), either intravenously or interstitially, consistent with ICG approved use and administration labeling. The 510(k) includes all Cellvizio Confocal Miniprobes across all cleared clinical indications.

The pioneering category of medical procedures expanded through this new clearance – Molecular Image-guided Procedures (MIP) – is designed to provide Cellvizio the unique clinical ability to visualize tissues to which the molecular agents bind, allowing the potential for real-time visualization of cancer at the cellular level during minimally invasive interventions. The use of MIP during bronchoscopic lung biopsy may improve the diagnostic accuracy of biopsies while reducing the number of procedures, time, and complications associated with obtaining a diagnosis.

“While the suite of tools to diagnose and treat lung cancer has evolved over the past few decades, there remains a significant unmet need to improve how early and how accurately patients can be staged and treated after lung nodule detection,” said Nicolas Bouvier, Interim Chief Executive Officer of Mauna Kea Technologies. “Importantly, this clearance represents a major step forward in the collaboration between On Target Laboratories and Mauna Kea to address significant unmet needs in interventional pulmonology and lung cancer. In addition, it opens the door for a transformational shift in the application of precision medicine to interventional pulmonology and potentially other indications as well.”

The clearance represents Mauna Kea’s 20th US FDA 510(k) for the Cellvizio p/nCLE platform and reflects Mauna Kea Technologies’ ongoing work with the FDA to build a unique range of indications for Cellvizio: imaging of the internal microstructure of tissues including, but not limited to, the identification of cells, vessels and their organization or architecture; imaging blood flow in vascular areas, including microvasculature and capillaries; and for the near-infrared version of Cellvizio, fluorescence angiography and visualization of the lymphatic system, including lymphatic vessels and lymph nodes with ICG and fluorescence imaging of tissues that have taken up the Cytalux drug.