Spectros Corporation Introduces Continuum®, a Broadband Infrared Sensor for Brain and Gut Oximetry

PORTOLA VALLEY, Calif., June 13, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Spectros Corporation announced Continuum®, a proprietary broadband near infrared illuminator sensor under development for several years and now in testing. This sensor represents the newest generation and state-of-the-art for medical sensor probes. Continuum is a solid-state illuminator that creates light of many wavelengths, called broadband, which allows for noninvasive analysis of various components in tissue and blood, including different types of hemoglobin, fat content, and water content. The new sensor is protected by a broad family of issued patents, and will be incorporated into the Company's flagship T-Stat Oximeter and Analysis platforms.

"Broadband NIRS illumination is the key to detecting more compounds in the tissue," notes CEO David Benaron. "This will substantially increase the accuracy of NIRS measurements in tissue, just as the broadband T-Stat VLS oximeter has established market leading accuracy and reproducibility in clinical studies".

Clinical application of Continuum sensors incorporating the broadband NIRS illuminator will allow placement on the patient's head to monitor the brain, on the abdomen to monitor the gut, and over muscle to monitor local perfusion. Early clinical studies suggest the device may have use in noninvasive detection of necrotizing enterocolitis, a gut disease of newborns; in contrast, standard NIRS oximeters suffer from interference from water, stool, and fat when placed over the abdomen.

Spectros T-Stat and Continuum Oximeters are currently the only broadband tissue oximeters on the market in the U.S. and Europe. T-Stat and Continuum compete in the marketplace with INVOS® oximeters marketed by Covidien, and FORE-SIGHT® oximeters marketed by CAS. In reconstructive surgery, T-Stat competes with oximeters marketed by ViOptix. An expanded array of probes, including Continuum® cerebral probes are currently in testing, pending FDA approval and release anticipated over the next year.

About Spectros

Spectros markets and licenses advanced molecular sensing and imaging devices that shed light on ischemia and cancer. The company's champion product, the T-Stat VLS Tissue Oximeter, is the first medical device FDA-approved as sensitive to ischemia, an insufficient supply of oxygen to tissue.  T-Stat is the only commercially-available tissue oximeter that utilizes state-of-the-art broadband visible light spectroscopy (VLS) technology.  The non-invasive T-Stat VLS system is used clinically to provide a continuous and real-time absolute value, utilizing 260 wavelengths, over the competing NIRS oximeter product lines that only use 2-4.

Spectros also develops molecular diagnostic tools for breast and prostate cancer, currently in phase I/II clinical trials supported by the National Cancer Institute.  Spectros is a venture-supported private concern and markets its products in the U.S. and internationally.

(Note:  Forward-looking statements are intended as a guide only, and do not constitute an offer for investment nor a guarantee of future events or returns.  Certain Spectros applications described above have not been reviewed and approved by the FDA, and are therefore labeled "for investigational use only." T-Stat and Continuum are trademarks of the Spectros Corporation. INVOS is a trademark of Somanetics and Covidien. FORE-SIGHT is a trademark of CAS Medical).

For further information, visit www.spectros.com.

SOURCE Spectros