Xyall BV, Eindhoven, the Netherlands, a medtech innovator in molecular pathology, has entered into a multiyear strategic partnership with Motic, San Francisco, a world leader in microscopy and digital pathology systems. Their goal is to develop an automated, high-precision table-top tumor tissue dissection solution for hospital-based molecular pathology laboratories.
In addition to joint product development, Xyall and Motic have established a reseller and support agreement to accelerate the delivery of these offerings into Chinese and Asian markets.
The strategic partnership with Motic adds digital pathology, workflow, and scalable capabilities to the Xyall platform and the company expects to have its first table-top products ready for launch in autumn next year. In 2019, Xyall partnered with high-tech engineering company Sioux Technologies, Eindhoven, the Netherlands, to bring high-precision (medical) robotic solutions and machine learning expertise to their platform.
Tissue dissection remains a labor-intensive process at risk of error and cross-contamination. “Xyall aims to transform the way laboratories carry this out, by delivering an automatic solution with greater accuracy, throughput and quality control,” explains Guido du Pree, Xyall’s CEO.
The company is building a platform to support clinicians and lab managers with faster and more accurate tissue dissection solutions to support them in delivering precision diagnostics. An automated system also makes the most efficient use of existing staffing levels.
Alongside the hospital-based system, Xyall intends to launch an industrial, automated tissue dissection solution for high-volume (commercial) molecular pathology laboratories. Using the same technology platform, the launch of this large-scale system is planned for spring 2021.
“We are delighted to join forces with Motic,” says du Pree. “Their knowledge and experience in optics, imaging, pathology workflow, and strong market position in digital pathology, especially in Asia, is an enormous asset and will boost our development and commercialization. The combined expertise of our strategic partners creates a dynamic, conviction-led alliance to create and drive forward our unique global solutions for both high-volume and hospital-based molecular pathology laboratories.”
Richard Yeung, Motic’s CEO, adds, “Motic is not only a trusted global provider of microscopy and digital whole slide imaging solutions, but also operates one of the largest tele-pathology consultation platforms in the world. By teaming up with Xyall and Sioux, we are confident that we have created the synergies needed to build another milestone in digital pathology industry.”
Current practice in tissue dissection involves the pathologist in pen-marking regions of interest (ROIs) on Hematoxylin & Eosin (H&E) stained slides. Using visual assessment, lab technicians then translate these ROIs into dissection slides, manually scraping the tissue and placing it in small containers. In view of the worldwide shortage of laboratory technicians, this puts pressure on clinical labs.
For more information, visit Xyall and Motic Digital Pathology.
Featured image: Algorithm enables H&E and dissection images to be automatically aligned before transferring annotated regions of interest to the dissection images. (courtesy Xyall)
