Background

Neuromuscular diseases can be difficult to diagnose. Electromyography (EMG) is an established technique used to investigate patients for neuromuscular conditions, including motor neurone disease and disorders of muscle (myopathies). It involves the placement of a needle electrode into muscle and the recording of electrical activity (arising from the depolarisation of muscle cells).

However, in many, if not most, neuromuscular conditions, changes to muscle composition also occur. These might relate to changes in the amount of different muscle proteins and/or fat content, or the infiltration of other cell types into the muscle. EMG is essentially ‘blind’ to these changes.

As a result, current diagnostic pathways may also include the analysis of muscle tissue obtained via a biopsy. This allows histological assessments and other complex assays to be performed on the tissue which can include structural, compositional and biochemical assessments. As a result muscle biopsy can often distinguish between different types of myopathy, however it is a more invasive procedure and is less widely available. The complex and specialised nature of the assessments means that it can take weeks and sometimes months for results to become available. This leads to poor patient experience and delayed diagnosis. There is therefore the need for improved techniques which can provide a rapid diagnosis of various nerve and muscle pathologies.

Technology Overview

Researchers at the University of Sheffield have been studying the potential of an optical spectroscopy technique called Raman spectroscopy as a means to obtain molecular information from muscle. They have developed an in vivo preclinical method which accurately identified both ‘neurogenic’ and ‘myopathic’ disease in mouse models (Plesia et al. ACS Chem Sci, 2021. 12(10:1768-1776). Different stages of muscle disease were accurately identified.

No detrimental post-recording effect was seen via sophisticated gait assessments, and high resolution (7T) MRI demonstrated only limited, resolving oedema.

Subsequent human tissue studies have demonstrated the potential of the technique for the detection of different muscle diseases (Alix et al., J Raman Spectrosc. 2022. 53:172–181; Alix et al., Analyst 2022. 147(11):2533-2540).

Stage of Development

The research team have now developed a combined EMG/Raman needle, termed ‘Optical EMG’. This is capable of obtaining both EMG and Raman data during the same needle insertion. The Raman spectra are obtained in just 40 seconds with the potential for point-of-care results.

Benefits

Combines the benefits of EMG (multiple muscle testing, minimally invasive) with the benefits of muscle biopsy (molecular specificity).
Comprehensive, real-time, bedside assessment of muscle health across a range of neuromuscular conditions.
Ability to distinguish between different types of muscle and nerve pathologies.
Less invasive than traditional muscle biopsy.
Improved patient experience.
As encouraging preclinical research moves into clinical trials the technique can provide the same readout of disease state in both preclinical models and human patients (Alix et al., Muscle Nerve. 2022: 66(3): 362-369).

Applications

Clinical care: diagnosis and monitoring the progression of neuromuscular conditions.
Clinical research: monitoring of disease state in neuromuscular conditions.
Preclinical: in vivo identification and monitoring of disease state in preclinical models of human neuromuscular diseases.

Opportunity

The University is seeking industrial partners and investors to support the development and clinical testing of the technology. They are open to co-development via collaborative R&D or out-licensing of the intellectual property.

Optical EMG: A New Technique for the Diagnosis of Nerve and Muscle Conditions

IP Status

Seeking