Bioluminescent Imaging has the ability to enhance the visualization of anatomic structures and tissues that may be difficult to see with current laparoscopic technology, thus making procedures safer. The increased risk of common bile duct injury described since the development of laparoscopic cholecystectomy, is an example of a persistent clinical problem that will benefit from BLI. It has been demonstrated that common bile duct injury risk is mitigated by liberal use of cholangiography. Current cholangiography techniques using fluoroscopy and iodinated contrast, though effective, can be considered cumbersome due the requirement of technician support, equipment positioning and shielding. This has limited the routine performance of intraoperative cholangiography. BLI is designed to replace the need for radiology ai software in selected laparoscopic procedures thus promoting more widespread application of operative techniques that enhance patient safety.

The novelty of BLI in laparoscopic procedures is the fact that no target tissue to which the bioluminescent agent binds is required, rather the bioluminescent agent fills and illuminates a cavity. BLI takes advantage of this light as it is seen by the camera itself. In the case of operative cholangiography, this obviates the need for intraoperative fluoroscopy. Initial studies in animal and cadaver models demonstrate sensitive visualization of anatomic structures, including but not limited to the biliary tree, vascular structures and gastrointestinal lumens. Future directions include refinement, selection and adaptation of cameras sensitive to bioluminescent light for use in laparoscopic procedures. Visualizing the photons emitted by BLI with increasingly sensitive cameras has multiple potential advantages as compared to use of traditional radiologic techniques.

We continue to refine our current designs as well as seek and pursue new applications for our bioluminescent technology. These projects are complex and span multiple disciplines and markets resulting in open opportunities for collaborators to become a part of this venture. If you feel that you or your company’s skills and goals complement ours, we would love to hear from you. Email us at info@biolume.net to ask questions about our technology or available partnering opportunities.

Biolume’s Bioluminescent Imaging (BLI) represents a new method of molecular imaging (non-invasive visualization of cellular processes inside living organisms). By attaching our bioluminescent enzymes to antigens or antibodies, researches are able to monitor disease progression and/or track the efficacy of a drug therapy. Doctors are able to use BLI to light up tumors or illuminate ducts during surgery. Bioluminescent Imaging will allow researchers, doctors, and many others, to see objectives and critical processes with their naked eye, helping them be more efficient and accurate without the need for cumbersome and complicated equipment and procedures.

Imagine a bathtub full of stars, an enchanted place where everything you touch begins to glow, a lollipop that lights up when you lick it. These are just a few of the many bioluminescent applications we are developing here at BioLume. We are looking for partners to help us bring these products to the vast consumer markets.

Shining the light on new possibilities

Philip Neff MD, Bruce Bryan MD, Randall Murphy PhD, Marvin Slepian MD, Behrooz Dehdashti PhD, Biolume, Inc.
The purpose of Bioluminescent Imaging, BLI, is to enhance the visualization of anatomic structures and tissues that may be difficult to see with current laparoscopic technology, thus making procedures safer. The increased risk of common bile duct injury described since the development of laparoscopic cholecystectomy, is an example of a persistent clinical problem that will benefit from BLI. It has been demonstrated that common bile duct injury risk is mitigated by liberal use of cholangiography. Current cholangiography techniques using fluoroscopy and iodinated contrast, though effective, can be considered cumbersome due the requirement of technician support, equipment positioning and shielding. This has limited the routine performance of intraoperative cholangiography. BLI is designed to replace the need for intraoperative radiology in selected laparoscopic procedures thus promoting more widespread application of operative techniques that enhance patient safety. In nature bioluminescence is light produced by a chemical reaction within a living organism. In BLI applications, a luciferin (the substrate coelenterazine) when combined with a luciferase (protein or enzyme) in the presence of oxygen produces visible light. BioLume’s bioluminescent proteins are cloned from various deep-sea marine organisms, and are available for development of biomedical applications. The novelty of BLI in laparoscopic procedures is the fact that no target tissue to which the bioluminescent agent binds is required, rather the bioluminescent agent fills and illuminates a cavity. BLI takes advantage of this light as it is seen by the camera itself. In the case of operative cholangiography, this obviates the need for intraoperative fluoroscopy. Initial studies in animal and cadaver models demonstrate sensitive visualization of anatomic structures, including but not limited to the biliary tree, vascular structures and gastrointestinal lumens. Future directions include refinement, selection and adaptation of cameras sensitive to bioluminescent light for use in laparoscopic procedures. Visualizing the photons emitted by BLI with increasingly sensitive cameras has multiple potential advantages as compared to use of traditional radiologic techniques

Imaging bile ducts to locate potential obstructions

BioLume®, Inc. is a privately-held biotechnology company located in Pinetop, Arizona. Our mission is to develop and commercialize a portfolio of proprietary bioluminescent (light producing) enzymes with many first-in-class applications in the food, beverage, cosmetic, personal care, and medical imaging markets.

BioLume scientists have discovered, cloned, synthesized, and now manufactures a novel portfolio of natural enzymes from marine organisms that bio-luminesce in the deep-sea. These marine organisms generate light by a chemical reaction known as bioluminescence. These enzymes have broad, well-established applications in biomedical research and drug discovery, and are currently in use by many of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world in drug discovery applications.

BioLume has acquired one of the world’s largest collection of genetic cDNA libraries and frozen tissues from bioluminescent marine organisms. These tissues have been collected from all over the world and represent a vast genetic resource. BioLume has cloned, and patented, a number of completely new luciferase enzymes for exclusive use by BioLume and its partners (see Technology section).

These same enzymes have clinical potential as medical imaging probes of cancerous tumors. In principle, this imaging approach allows very early surgical intervention to remove such tumors and metastases. Considerable published work of the imaging applications by leading academic investigators using BioLume chemistry in laboratory animals has validated this approach. Furthermore, BioLume has demonstrated the potential of these same “glowing” enzymes in a wide variety of food, beverage, personal care, and cosmetic applications.

Business Strategy

BioLume’s business strategy has two broad components;

1. developing and commercializing the medical imaging applications covered by its patents
2. developing and commercializing the food, beverage, personal care, and cosmetic applications covered by its patents.

These strategies are complimentary as the data needed for development of either will benefit both components.

However from a funding standpoint, the development process is faster and less expensive for ingredients added to food and other consumer products than medical imaging agents yet the market opportunity is likely larger so BioLume will pursue this first and use the cash from ingredient sales to develop the medical imaging products.

Biolume’s Market Opportunities

The consumer markets are very large and growing. The broad and diverse consumer applications within foods, beverages, personal care, and cosmetics represent huge first-in-class product opportunities. There are no consumable bioluminescent products on the market today. BioLume has trademarked the brand name Lumoness™ for the combination of chemistry that produces the bright, luminescent glow, in a spectrum of colors, which can be added to a broad range of products in each catagory. Many major consumer product companies have expressed interest in Lumoness because “there aren’t any new foods, just new ingredients.”

Biolume bioluminescent enzymes have broad application in medical imaging including anatomic, vascular and molecular imaging. Optical (bioluminescent) imaging represents a paradigm shift in the focus of medical imaging from the visualization of anatomy and physiology to the study of metabolic and physiological processes, such as cancers, at the cellular level, often in real time. Molecular imaging, and specifically bioluminescent imaging (BLI), allows for early diagnosis of disease before there are symptoms or anatomic masses such as tumors. Plus, BLI can be used to quantitatively monitor disease progression and the efficacy of drug therapy non-invasively. Very sensitive optical imaging systems are already marketed that can detect light transmitted through tissue. Many peer-reviewed academic publications on the subject, most using BioLume’s proprietary technology, witness BLI interest. The brand name TumorLight™ has been trademarked for medical imaging applications.

Bioluminescence is light produced by a chemical reaction within a living organism.  Usually two substances and Oxygen are required.  The substance that produces the light is generically called luciferin, and the substance that drives or catalyzes the reaction is called lucerifase.  The chemical reaction from combining these substances is very efficient, producing 98% of its energy as light (glow) and only 2% as heat.  One photon of light is produced for each molecule of luciferin consumed.  Luciferases perform this reaction several hundred times per second, and will continue until all the luciferin is consumed.

The specific luciferin BioLume uses is called Coelenterazine, a word derived from Coelenterates, a class of marine invertebrates that includes jellyfish, sea anemones, and corals.  Coelenterazine is the most widespread luciferin molecule found in nature.It is a very potent, natural anti-oxidant.  All of the marine organisms that emit light use different luciferases but most use the same luciferin, Coelenterazine.

BioLume has a number of proprietary luciferases in its portfolio.  These include Renilla and Gaussia.  BioLume also has proprietary green fluorescent proteins that can be combined with luciferases to create a spectrum of glowing colors. The base color is blue.

Another kind of luciferase is called a “photoprotein” where luciferin and luciferase are bound together.  This molecule can be triggered to produce light when a particular type of ion is added to the system (usually Calcium).  Photoproteins emit a flash of very bright light for a fraction of a second for very interesting effects like twinkling stars in food and beverages.

Bioluminescence is not the same as “fluorescence”.  In fluorescence, energy from a source of light is absorbed and re-emitted as another photon.  In bioluminescence the excitation energy is supplied by a chemical reaction rather than from a source of light.

Life Creating Light

Bioluminescence formulated for medical imaging

The consumer markets are very large and growing. The broad and diverse consumer applications within foods, beverages, and cosmetics represent huge first-in-class product opportunities. There are no consumable bioluminescent products on the market today. Our brand name Lumoness™ represents the chemistry that produces the bright, luminescent glow, in a spectrum of colors, which can be added to a broad range of products in each category.

The duration of Lumoness “glow” can vary by formulation, encapsulation, quantity, host product or delivery system and has no discernable taste of its own.

The science behind bioluminescence is the combination of a protein enzyme (Luciferase), a light emitting molecule (Luciferin), and oxygen.  The protein enzyme catalyzes the reaction between the light-emitting molecule and oxygen to produce light. While there are many different luciferases found in nature, the luciferin is common among all bioluminescent creatures.

Safety is our number one priority; we have done extensive testing to ensure that our products are non-toxic Our goal is to obtain FDA approval on bioluminescent ingredients for food and beverage products.

While these products are not currently available for sale, we are looking for investors or partners to help us bring them to the market. If you are interested, please email us at info@biolume.net.

Natural Bioluminescence formulated to make food, beverages, personal care products and cosmetics glow.