Micro-X reveals $25m US contract to develop portable CT

The technical advances of cold cathode X-ray manufacturer Micro-X have seen the company secure a US government contract valued at up to $25 million to develop a micro-sized full body CT scanner.

A first two year contract worth $12.5 million will produce a prototype with the option of a further $12.5 million contract being awarded over three years to develop a product ready for submission to the Food and Drug Administration.

The company is developing numerous products based on its carbon fibre nanotube X-ray emitter, with the contract from US Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) likely to lead to the development of a breakthrough medical imager.

Smaller, lighter and drawing less power than traditional hot cathode X-ray machines, a full body CT scanner would fundamentally change the CT market.

The contract for up to five years will see Micro-X develop a lightweight and portable Full Body CT in parallel with its continuing development in Australia of a Head CT (pictured), designed to be used in ambulances and point of care to detect stroke.

The contract was announced on a website in the United States yesterday, but only received by the Adelaide company today.

Micro-X also has a long running research effort underway under contract to the US Department of Homeland Security to use its minaturised CT scanner technology to develop self-screening airport passenger checkpoints.

Micro-X shares jumped yesterday and another leapt 27 percent this morning to trade at 0.094 cents.

Micro-X Chief Executive Officer Kingsley Hall said: “We are incredibly excited by this award and the opportunity to develop a Portable Full Body CT using our proprietary NEX technology.

“Micro-X continues to go beyond boundaries to challenge the constraints of legacy Xray and deliver solutions that meet the needs of customers, users and patients, and this development builds seamlessly upon the work undertaken in both Head CT and Baggage CT projects.

“Our company purpose is ‘creating revolutionary X-Ray imaging to better lives’ and this development aligns perfectly with that, while also advancing our strategy of securing the right strategic partnerships.”

Key points of the contract:

• US$8.2M (A$12.5M) contract executed to develop first prototype CT scanner over a two year programme
• Further US$8.2M (A$12.5M) contract to develop Portable Full Body CT through to FDA 510(k) submission over additional three years subject to ARPA-H option
• Non-dilutive funding to Micro-X to fully fund development with all rights retained by Micro-X.

The contract was awarded to the company’s US subsidiary, Micro-X Inc, and aims for a CT scanner to enable a Full Body CT equivalent to conventional diagnostic CT scanners.

Further reading:
Micro-X shares jump on US contract notification

Picture: Micro-X/Micro-X Head CT designed for stroke imaging on the move