MEDIA RELEASE

Australian Research Breakthrough: Changing the Face of Diagnostic Imaging

Melbourne-based MedTech, 4Dx, has published results validating its technology’spotential to play a game-changing role in the diagnostics and treatment for respiratory diseases such as lung cancer, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), cystic fibrosis, asthma, and black lung.

The results of a new pre-clinical study, show that 4Dx’s breakthrough four-dimensional lung diagnostic platformhas the ability to better measure the progression and severity ofcysticfibrosis (CF) like lung disease – something that is critically lacking in today’s care of patients with lung disease.

This result is a critical step towards the commercialisation of the technology for clinical benefit to current sufferers of respiratory disease.

Steve Peuschel, Executive Director of 4Dx, born with Cystic Fibrosis, and in 2003 was the recipient of a double lung transplant, understands the urgency for earlier detection and for doctors to be able to see what is really important – how the lungs work.

"The problem with current lung diagnostics is that if you have something happening in one airway of the lung, the rest of the lung compensates. So with current diagnostics, you can get fairly normal results on the tests even when disease is progressing,” says Peuschel.

“Ourtechnologyprovides images of the breathing lungs, allowing investigators to, for the first time, view and measure subtle changes in ventilation to specific areas of the lung as the disease progresses”

The significant results have fueled hopes among clinicians, including Professor Greg Snell, Head of Lung Transplant Service at the Alfred hospital, for major improvement in treating lung disease.

“This technology has great potential as a new tool for both early diagnosis and management of many very common lung conditions. I think this will be the start of a new way of thinking about diagnostic imaging,” says Snell.

Whilst there is no cure for CF, Karin Knoester, CEO of Cystic Fibrosis Victoria says the CF community is always interested in adding to the arsenal of tools currently used to help their members treat and manage their condition.

“Any tool that can identify damage at an early stage will be able to inform intervention, with the hope of reducing further damage.”

“Equally, anything that can more precisely measure the progression of the disease in the lung and improve outcomes is valuable to our members,” says Knoester.

The research represents a collaboration between leading CF scientists and physicians from Australia, The United states, Germany and 4Dx. Key results of this studyare published today in the international journal Scientific Reports.

“Quantification of heterogeneity in lung disease with image-based pulmonary function testing” July 27, 2016, Scientific Reports, DOI: 10.1038/srep29438

Ends

About 4Dx

4Dx Pty Ltd is an early stage medical technology company based in Melbourne, Australia, established to commercialise their four-dimensional lung imaging technology: 4DxV.

4DxV provides highly detailed mapsof regional lung motion and airflow in real-time within the breathing lungs.

Conceived by 4Dx founder Andreas Fouras and developed by his research group, 4Dx has successfully proven and patented its technology with 10 years of studies completed.

Media Opportunities

4Dx Founder and CEO, Andreas Fouras, will be available in Australia on the following dates;

Sydney – 16th-18th August

Melbourne – 19th August – 2nd September

As part of the exclusive we can also offer you the following:

  • Interview and filming opportunity with Andreas who will be in Australia from the 16thAugust-2ns September. I could set up a tour of the lab and opportunity to experience4Dx’s world-leading technology inside Monash University’s Immersive Visualisation Platform. This would make for a great visual to support your story
  • Interview and filming opportunity with Steven Peuschel, Executive Director of 4Dx, born with Cystic Fibrosis and received a double lung transplant in 2003
  • Interview and filming opportunity Professor Greg Snell, Head of Lung Transplant Service at the Alfred hospital. Greg can talk about thelimitations of lung diagnostic technology currently on the market, along with the advantages of 4Dx.
  • Interviewand filming opportunity with Lisa Benning + child - Lisa has 2 children, both born with Cystic Fibrosis, and understands the challenges of existing technologies in lung diagnostics and treatment.

For all media enquiries, please contactEmily King, EMG on (+61) 434 255022