MARS Bioimaging Limited (MBI) is a medical imaging company focusing on spectral photon counting computed tomography for quantitative color imaging.[1] The company was founded in Christchurch, New Zealand to commercialize the MARS imaging system for its applications in medicine.
History
MARS Bioimaging Limited was founded in September 2007[2] by father and son professors, Phillip and Anthony Butler to develop x-ray imaging that captures and processes information from individual x-ray photons, producing quantitative 3D color imaging at very high resolution (50-200 μm).[3][4][5] MARS imaging systems are based on the new generation Medipix chip licensed out of CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research), Switzerland[2] and technology developed by the University of Canterbury (UC), and other partners.[6]
Funding for research began in 2003, with a NZ$500,000 grant from the New Economy Research Fund. This fund enabled New Zealand universities to join CERN, including .
NZ$1.5 million grant from the Tertiary Education Commission - Infrastructure Development Fund was awarded to MBI after forming in 2007, followed by a NZ$4.5 million manufacturing award from the Foundation for Research Science and Technology to developing a small animal spectral scanner for researchers.
In 2011, MBI released its first small-bore spectral CT scanner for CT researchers[7] and remains the only company in the world with a commercially available preclinical spectral photon-counting CT scanner.[8]
In February 2014, MBI raised more than NZ$500,000 in series A capital financing led by Powerhouse Ventures (PowerHouse).[7] Series B funding in March 2015, again led by PowerHouse Ventures, raised another NZ$500,000.[9]
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) awarded MBI a High Value Manufacturing award, worth NZ$13 million over 2014-2021.
Since October 2015, Callaghan Innovations has supported MBI in employing MARS researchers through a number of Research and Development Career Grants.[9]
In November 2018, the CEO of MBI was the first living human scanned by a MARS system,[10] followed by the first patient scanned early 2020.[1] On November 16, 2020, MBI announced international clinical trials of their compact, point-of-care MARS system for diagnosing hand and wrist injuries would begin early 2021.[1]
