IMS Solutions is developing a world-first stratification test for Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome (PMOS), and a more accurate diagnostic for Adrenocortical Carcinoma (ACC).
The University of Birmingham and Imperial College London have announced the launch of Intelligent Mass Spec Solutions Ltd (IMS Solutions), a new spin-out that is set to revolutionise diagnosis of conditions featuring disordered steroid hormone metabolism.
Steroid hormones orchestrate many of the body’s fundamental processes, including stress responses, metabolism, energy use, blood pressure regulation, reproduction and fertility. Consequently, conditions where steroid hormone synthesis or metabolism are disrupted often present with diffuse and diverse symptoms, making them difficult, time-consuming and costly to diagnose.
IMS Solutions’ platform technology overcomes this diagnostic challenge by detecting unique steroid signatures in urine and blood.
Dr Martin Whitaker, CEO of IMS Solutions said: “IMS Solutions is launching with a strong commercial and scientific team, and a well-advanced roadmap for products that align with current demands from patients, clinicians and healthcare providers.”
IMS Solutions is a joint spin-out from the University of Birmingham and Imperial, who have provided background patent and know-how intellectual property exclusively to the company.
The technology platform was initially developed at the University of Birmingham by Professor Wiebke Arlt, who is Chief Scientific Officer at IMS Solutions. Professor Arlt, a renowned expert in steroid endocrinology, is Director of the MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences (LMS), where she leads the Steroids & Metabolism research group, and Head of Department at the Institute of Clinical Sciences at Imperial College London. She also serves as the first female President of the European Society of Endocrinology.
Realising the opportunity
The first product to market will be a urine test that can discriminate between benign and malignant adrenal tumours, which are found in 5% of people undergoing a scan of the chest or abdomen. The ACCelerate™ test rapidly identifies patients requiring surgery for Adrenocortical Carcinoma (ACC) and reduces the need for surgery in patients whose adrenal tumours are eventually found to be benign. The ACCelerate™ programme is supported by the National Measurement Laboratory (NML) at LGC to underpin the tests accuracy and reproducibility.
Dr Thierry Le Goff, Commercial Director of NML said: “We are delighted to support IMS Solutions through the development and production of a complex multi-steroid calibration solution, bringing together expertise from our mass spectrometry, NMR and reference material production teams. Over the next 18 months, this collaborative effort will deliver a robust calibration system that underpins accurate and reliable hormone measurements. By enabling confidence in innovative diagnostics for adrenal cancer and other steroid-related disorders, this work demonstrates how measurement science can help accelerate the adoption of new tests within the NHS, supporting earlier diagnosis, more personalised treatment and better outcomes for patients.”
