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Grant Information

Grant ID	DP260250
Awarded On	November 19, 2025
Title	Rapid Margin Assessment via Bioelectrical Impedance Spectroscopy and AI-Machine Learning
Program	Product Development Research
Award Mechanism	Texas Diagnostic and Devices Company Awards for Product Development Research
Institution/Organization	NovaScan Inc
Principal Investigator/Program Director	Donato Ceres
Cancer Sites	Breast
Contracted Amount	$3699978* *Pending contract negotiation
Lay Summary	Accurate margin assessment during cancer surgery is critical to fully removing tumors and reducing the risk of recurrence. The current standard—frozen section analysis—can take up to 30 minutes, requires a pathologist, prolongs surgery, and may damage tissue needed for further testing. NovaScan developed MarginScan, a compact, AI-enhanced device that uses bioelectrical impedance spectroscopy (BIS) to rapidly detect cancer at the surgical margin—without freezing or destroying tissue. MarginScan delivers results in under 4 minutes and can be used directly in the operating room. The device’s lead indication is non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC), with clinical studies showing 91% sensitivity and 96... Read More Accurate margin assessment during cancer surgery is critical to fully removing tumors and reducing the risk of recurrence. The current standard—frozen section analysis—can take up to 30 minutes, requires a pathologist, prolongs surgery, and may damage tissue needed for further testing. NovaScan developed MarginScan, a compact, AI-enhanced device that uses bioelectrical impedance spectroscopy (BIS) to rapidly detect cancer at the surgical margin—without freezing or destroying tissue. MarginScan delivers results in under 4 minutes and can be used directly in the operating room. The device’s lead indication is non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC), with clinical studies showing 91% sensitivity and 96% specificity. The FDA has confirmed a De Novo pathway for NMSC, and commercial launch is planned for 2026 in partnership with Epredia, a global cancer diagnostics and cryostat leader. NovaScan has also shown strong results in excised breast tissue, achieving 99% sensitivity and 85% specificity. With CPRIT support, NovaScan will expand MarginScan to breast-conserving surgery, where over 20% of patients currently require additional surgery due to missed cancer at the margin. Building on existing breast data, the project will include algorithm refinement, a pivotal clinical trial, and FDA submission. MarginScan has the potential to make rapid, accurate, tissue-preserving margin assessment widely accessible and improve outcomes for breast cancer patients. Read Less