Novocure Gmbh

Other

Hadas Sara Hershkovich

Zeev Bomzon

Tali Voloshin-Sela

Yoram Wasserman

Eilon Kirson

Ariel Naveh

Moshe Giladi

Mario Lohr

Catherine Brami

Carola Forster

Malgorzata Burek

Almuth F Kessler

Carsten Hagemann

Gil Zigelman

Golan Bar-Tal

Oren Ben Zion Bakalo

Ori Kook

Shira Luk-Zilberman

Ze'ev Bomzon

Reuven Ruby Shamir

Noa Urman

Cornelia Wenger

Shay Levi

Catherine Tempel-Brami

Oren Bakalo

Ze′ev Bomzon

A method for generating a transducer layout for delivering tumor treating fields includes storing medical images of a subject, identifying one of the medical images as an anchor medical image, and registering computed tomography medical images with magnetic resonance imaging medical images. The method further includes segmenting abnormal tissue in the medical images from other tissue types and defining a region of interest (ROI) in the medical images. The method further includes creating a 3D model of the subject. The method further includes generating a plurality of transducer layouts for application of tumor treating fields to the subject, selecting at least two of the transducer layouts as recommended transducer layouts, presenting the recommended transducer layouts, receiving a user selection of at least one recommended transducer layout, and providing a report for the selected recommended transducer layout(s).

Treatment planning for tumor treating fields

The planning of treatment using tumor treating fields (TTFields) in a portion of a subject's body (e.g., the subject's head) can be improved by obtaining an image of the body portion, and generating, based on the image, a 3D model of electrical conductivity. A target volume within the 3D model is identified, and a set of model electrodes is added to the 3D model at given locations. Then, for each voxel in the target volume, the power loss density (PLD) that will be present when TTFields are eventually applied is determined. The same process is repeated for a plurality of different electrode locations. Finally, the set of electrode locations that yielded the best PLD is selected, and a description of those locations is output.

Using power loss density and related measures to quantify the dose of tumor treating fields (TTFields)

Disclosed are methods of altering the electric impedance to an alternating electric field in a target site of a subject, comprising introducing a nanoparticle to a target site in the subject; and applying an alternating electric field to the target site of the subject, wherein the electric impedance in the target site of the subject to the alternating current is altered. Disclosed are methods for improving transport of a nanoparticle across a cell membrane of a cell, the method comprising applying an alternating electric field to the cell for a period of time, wherein application of the alternating electric field increases permeability of the cell membrane; and introducing the nanoparticle to the cell, wherein the increased permeability of the cell membrane enables the nanoparticle to cross the cell membrane. Disclosed are methods of imaging a cancer cell, the method comprising applying a first alternating electric field at a first frequency to the cancer cell for a first period of time, wherein application of the first alternating electric field at the first frequency to the cancer cell for the first period of time increases permeability of cell membranes of the cancer cell; introducing a nanoparticle to the cancer cell, wherein the increased permeability of the cell membranes enables the nanoparticle to cross the cancer cell membrane; and imaging the cancer cell.

Compositions and methods of altering the electric impedance to an alternating electric field

Methods, systems, and apparatuses are described for managing placement of transducer arrays on a subject/patient.

Methods, systems, and apparatuses for managing transducer array placement

Many drugs and other molecules cannot ordinarily traverse the blood brain barrier (BBB). However, when alternating electric fields at certain optimum frequencies (e.g., 100 kHz) are applied to the brain, the BBB becomes permeable to those molecules. When the alternating electric fields are discontinued, the BBB eventually recovers to its original impermeable state. Subsequently, re-application of alternating electric fields at the optimum frequencies will re-open the BBB. Ordinarily, many frequencies (e.g., 200 kHz) of alternating electric fields are either ineffective or less effective at inducing permeability than the optimum frequencies. But once the BBB has been opened by applying alternating electric fields at the optimum frequencies, alternating electric fields at non-optimum frequencies can maintain the permeability of a previously-opened BBB.

Using alternating electric fields to increase permeability of the blood brain barrier

Certain substances (e.g., large molecules) that ordinarily cannot traverse the blood brain barrier can be introduced into the brain by applying an alternating electric field to the brain for a period of time, wherein the frequency of the alternating electric field is selected so that application of the alternating electric field increases permeability of the blood brain barrier. In some embodiments, the frequency of the alternating electric field is less than 190 kHz (e.g., 100 kHz). Once the permeability of the blood brain barrier has been increased, the substance is able to cross the blood brain barrier.

Tumor treating fields (TTFields) can be delivered by implanting a plurality of sets of implantable electrode elements within a person's body. Temperature sensors positioned to measure the temperature at the electrode elements are also implanted, along with a circuit that collects temperature measurements from the temperature sensors. In some embodiments, an AC voltage generator configured to apply an AC voltage across the plurality of sets of electrode elements is also implanted within the person's body.

Delivering tumor treating fields (TTFields) using implantable transducer arrays

Methods, systems, and apparatuses are described for guiding placement of transducer arrays on a patient.

Methods, systems, and apparatuses for guiding transducer array placement

Disclosed are compositions for and methods of altering the electric impedance to an alternating electric field in a target site of a subject. Disclosed are compositions for methods of improving transport of a nanoparticle across a cell membrane of a cell.

Tumors in portions of a subject's body that have a longitudinal axis (e.g., the torso, head, and arm) can be treated with TTFields by affixing first and second sets of electrodes at respective positions that are longitudinally prior to and subsequent to a target region. An AC voltage with a frequency of 100-500 kHz is applied between these sets of electrodes. This imposes an AC electric field with field lines that run through the target region longitudinally. The field strength is at least 1 V/cm in at least a portion of the target region. In some embodiments, this approach is combined with the application of AC electric fields through the target region in a lateral direction (e.g., front to back and/or side to side) in order to apply AC electric fields with different orientations to the target region.

Arrays for longitudinal delivery of TTFields to a body

A 3D model of AC electrical conductivity (at a given frequency) of an anatomic volume can be created by obtaining two MRI images of the anatomic volume, where the two images have different repetition times. Then, for each voxel in the anatomic volume, a ratio IR of the intensity of the corresponding voxels in the two MRI images is calculated. This calculated IR is then mapped into a corresponding voxel of a 3D model of AC electrical conductivity at the given frequency. The given frequency is below 1 MHz (e.g., 200 kHz). In some embodiments, the 3D model of AC electrical conductivity at the given frequency is used to determine the positions for the electrodes in TTFields (Tumor Treating Fields) treatment.

TTField treatment with optimization of electrode positions based on low frequency (&#x3c;1MHZ) AC conductivity estimates derived from two MRI images having different repetition times

Growing community of inventors

Kiryat Motzkin, Israel

Hadas Sara Hershkovich