NICO has launched an Investigator Initiated Study (IIS) Program that offers financial support for prospective studies or the assessment of retrospective data related to improved patient and economic outcomes using minimally invasive neurosurgery approaches.
Image: Access to tumor using BrainPath. Photo: Courtesy of NICO.
NICO has invested more than $8m in clinical research supporting true minimally invasive neurosurgery approaches using automated technologies for subcortical and skull base procedures.
NICO board of directors member and Henry Ford Health System Emeritus Department of Neurosurgery Chairman Mark Rosenblum said: “NICO has been a leader in accumulating meaningful scientific data and bringing that to the market in ways that significantly benefit patients and healthcare institutions. Their focus of obtaining scientific evidence and promoting safe approaches to brain disorders is unique and I believe will have a lasting impact on the field of neurosurgery.”
The IIS Program supports physicians, residents or fellows in neurosurgery who are committed to building clinical and scientific data to validate minimally invasive brain surgery in achieving better outcomes for patients and healthcare providers, as well as expanding the body of evidence. Studies are encouraged that evaluate:
- Scientific justification of “why access matters” through studying the impact on brain structure, function and eloquent tissues when fascicular anatomy, vascular integrity and critical white matter tracts are preserved.
- Disease state applications and understanding of pathophysiology, metastatic spread and recurrence of primary and secondary brain tumors.
- Validation of an optimized and standardized tissue procurement and preservation system for future genomic-, proteomic- and immunologically-directed precision medicine clinical trials.
- Enhanced Recovery After Neurological Surgery (ERANS) protocols and other economic benefits to minimally invasive neurosurgery.
NICO professional education and clinical affairs vice president Penny Sekerak said: “NICO is working to increase its scientific footprint by using content published through the program to identify scientific signals for efficacy, proof of concept applications, or guide specific areas of study that may improve clinical outcomes for patients with abnormalities in the brain.
“This will be a highly competitive process with numerous studies approved. Our ultimate goal is to advocate the advancement of scientific support for minimally disruptive neurosurgery that achieves improved patient and economic outcomes.”
Requests for support are being accepted now and will be reviewed for scientific merit, feasibility, possible contribution to the respective body of clinical knowledge, and compatibility with NICO’s long-term clinical and scientific focus. Only US sites or its territories are eligible.
Source: Company Press Release