Brief Description
Oncobionic commercialized irreversible electroporation (IRE) technology, a minimally invasive treatment for tumors that revolutionized cancer therapy. The minimally invasive surgical system delivers 1,500 volts of electric current through needle-like probes, ablating the targeted area, making it possible to remove unresectable tumors near critical structures and major blood vessels without cuts or incisions. IRE exclusively targets the tumor’s cell membranes, leaving critical organs, vasculature, ducts and nerves completely unharmed.
The IRE technology was invented in the lab of UC Berkeley Bioengineering and Mechanical Engineering Professor Boris Rubinsky, co-founder of Oncobionic. The IRE technology was cleared for human use by the US Food and Drug Administration in 2006.
Medical device manufacturer AngioDynamics acquired Oncobionic for $25.4 million in 2008.
Timeline
- 2003. Company founded
- 2006. FDA 510(k) clearance for Oncobionic, Inc. to market Irreversible Electroporation (IRE) — a technology approved for the surgical ablation of soft tissue, including cardiac and smooth muscle.
- 2008. AngioDynamics acquires Oncobionic and licenses the IRE technology from UC Berkeley for use in its NanoKnife System.
Inventors
Boris Rubinsky, Rafael Davalos, Jon Edd, Liana Horowitz, Paul Mikus, Gary Onik