Israel-based Check-Cap, a clinical stage medical diagnostics company that is working on an ingestible sensor capsule to screen for colorectal cancer, has entered into an agreement with a single healthcare company for $5.9 million in financing. Check-Cap, which does not have a commercial product as of yet, will use the net proceeds from the offering to advance the ongoing clinical development of its preparation-free colorectal cancer screening system.

Check-Cap is working on an ingestible imaging capsule that transmits X-rays to the intestinal wall and back, creating 3D images of the colon’s internal surface and purportedly enabling detection of clinically significant polyps. For the patient, it is far less preparation than a normal colonoscopy: they swallow the capsule and continue on their daily routine, and no bowel cleansing is necessary, as the technology can create 360-degree scans that can see though any intestinal content.

Data gathered within the colon will transmit to a receiving device worn on the patient’s body that stores the information for offline analysis, and the receiver will also indicate when the capsule has passed through the user's system. After the data is collected, a physician will be able to use Check-Cap’s data viewer software application, and the company aims to allow doctors to have the ability to review the images at any location at any time, like on their laptop at home.

Last week, Check-Cap received a $1.25 million grant from Israel’s Office of the Chief Scientist, the entity that executes government policy support for research and development. Also last week, the company announced a partnership with GE Healthcare to develop high-volume manufacturing for the X-ray source production and assembly into Check-Cap’s capsule.

According to a statement from Check-Cap, the company expects to file for a CE mark for submission in the first half of 2017. MobiHealthNews has reached out to the company about plans for US availability, and we'll update if they respond.