A non‑heat electrical treatment for tumors that can’t be removed by surgery
Official title: Commercialization of Algorithmic Non-thermal Ablation Technology for the Treatment of Inoperable Tumors
Funded at Gradient Medical, INC. · NIH-11316268 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project is developing a non‑thermal electric device to treat people with hard‑to‑remove lung, liver, or pancreatic tumors.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Gradient Medical, INC. NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Raleigh, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | September 16, 2022 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $1,150,000 |
| NIH project number | 2R42CA275587-02A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11316268 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with primary lung, liver, or pancreatic tumors that are considered inoperable because of their location near major blood vessels, ducts, or nerves would be the most likely candidates.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose cancers can be safely removed with standard surgery or who have widely metastatic disease are unlikely to benefit from this focused ablation approach.
What this research studies
The team is building a medical device that uses ultrashort, high‑intensity electrical pulses to kill tumor cells without heating surrounding tissue. Because it does not rely on heat, the approach aims to treat tumors that sit next to blood vessels, ducts, or nerves where surgery or thermal ablation is unsafe. The technology has been used in over 150 veterinary cancer cases and tested in more than 70 large animal models, and this work focuses on making a commercial pulse generator and preparing the device for clinical use. The plan includes engineering, safety testing, and steps toward regulatory approval and clinical deployment.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could provide a new option to destroy tumors that are too risky to remove surgically, while sparing nearby vital structures.
How similar studies have gone: Related non‑thermal electrical ablation techniques (like irreversible electroporation) have seen some clinical use and the company reports positive results in veterinary and large animal studies, but this particular device is newer and moving toward human use.
Where this research is happening
-
Gradient Medical, INC.
Raleigh, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Fong, Jordan — Gradient Medical, INC.
- Study coordinator: Fong, Jordan
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.