MiWEndo Solutions Secures €1.2 Million to Develop AI-Powered Colonoscopy Device for Real-Time Polyp Characterization
核心洞察
MiWEndo Solutions (搜索), a spin-off from IDIBAPS-Hospital Clínic (搜索) and other Spanish institutions, has secured €1.2 million in funding to develop a new device that characterizes polyps (搜索) during colonoscopies using microwave technology and artificial intelligence.
The technology aims to enable real-time differentiation between benign lesions and invasive cancer (搜索) during colonoscopy procedures, allowing physicians to make immediate treatment decisions and reduce unnecessary biopsies.
The company is shifting its strategic focus from polyp detection to in-situ lesion characterization, with their first product already in phase two clinical trials and expected to receive CE marking by Q1 2026.
MiWEndo Solutions (搜索), a Spanish medical technology spin-off, has secured €1.2 million in funding to develop an innovative device that combines microwave technology and artificial intelligence to characterize polyps (搜索) in real-time during colonoscopy procedures. The funding represents a strategic pivot for the company as it expands beyond polyp detection to offer comprehensive lesion characterization solutions.
The Barcelona-based company, founded in 2019 as a spin-off of Pompeu Fabra University (搜索), the Polytechnical University of Catalonia (搜索), IDIBAPS-Hospital Clínic (搜索), and the Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies, aims to transform endoscopic diagnostics through advanced imaging modalities and AI solutions.
Real-Time Tissue Characterization Technology
The new device utilizes microwave signals to differentiate between healthy and pathological tissues during colonoscopy procedures. According to Marta Guardiola, co-founder and CTO of MiWEndo Solutions (搜索), the technology represents "an ambitious technological challenge: to be able to characterise tissues in real time from inside the body using microwave signals."
The system goes beyond simple lesion detection by acquiring functional information that enables physicians to distinguish between benign and malignant tissues during the same examination. This capability could fundamentally change therapeutic decision-making during colonoscopy procedures.
Clinical Impact and Cost Reduction
The technology's primary clinical benefit lies in its potential to eliminate diagnostic uncertainty and reduce healthcare costs associated with unnecessary biopsies. By providing objective, immediate information during colonoscopy, physicians can make real-time decisions about whether a lesion requires resection or surgical referral.
"Having objective and immediate information during a colonoscopy can completely change the therapeutic strategy," explains Glòria Fernández Esparrach, medical director of MiWEndo Solutions (搜索) and endoscopist at Hospital Clínic (搜索). "By being able to differentiate between benign lesions and those suspected of being invasive cancer (搜索) at the same time, physicians can perform an in-situ resection or refer the patient to surgery when necessary, thereby avoiding unnecessary risks and optimising the use of healthcare resources."
Development Partnership and Manufacturing
The project will be executed in collaboration with LEITAT (搜索), which will lead the mechanical design and additive manufacturing of the new device. This partnership combines MiWEndo's technological expertise with LEITAT's manufacturing capabilities to bring the device to market.
CEO Tomás Escuin emphasized the company's strategic positioning, stating, "This funding allows us to strengthen our positioning as a technology platform for the endoscopy of the future. We are building a new generation of medical devices that combine microwaves, AI and synthetic data to improve professionals' detection and characterisation of colorectal lesions (搜索)."
Current Product Pipeline
While developing this new characterization device, MiWEndo Solutions (搜索) continues advancing its first product—an accessory add-on for conventional colonoscopes. This initial device has progressed to the second phase of its pivotal clinical study and is expected to obtain CE marking by the end of the first quarter of 2026.
The dual-track development approach allows the company to maintain momentum with its near-term product while investing in next-generation technology that could further revolutionize endoscopic procedures.
Market Strategy and Future Vision
The funding enables MiWEndo Solutions (搜索) to transition from a detection-focused company to a comprehensive diagnostic platform. The shift toward in-situ lesion characterization addresses a critical unmet need in gastroenterology, where current diagnostic workflows often require multiple procedures and delayed treatment decisions.
The company's approach of combining microwave technology, artificial intelligence, and synthetic data represents a novel integration of technologies specifically designed to meet market demands for more efficient and accurate endoscopic diagnostics.