Muscle Efficiency Measurement Platform

Leksum has developed a new AI-powered diagnostic tool aimed at transforming the detection of muscle wasting diseases. The technology, once deployed, will dramatically accelerate the identification of personalized treatment options, enabling faster, more targeted patient care.

Microfabricated Human Muscle-On-A-Chip System

Leksum’s new diagnostic tool is based on a state-of-the-art, microfabricated human muscle-on-a-chip system. This technology replicates both sedentary and active muscle states, allowing for both the real-time evaluation of muscle efficiency and the observation of the effect of various therapeutic interventions. The device uses a stretchable, micropatterned 3D human skeletal muscle organoid (HSkM) platform, where human muscle cells grow in an organized, parallel fashion similar to natural muscle tissue. These cells express key proteins needed for muscle formation and mitochondrial health, creating a more accurate model for studying muscle diseases than traditional animal models, which often fail to provide successful solutions, underscoring the need for advanced human tissue models that can be used for both disease detection and drug screening.

Direct-Adhesion Nanothermometry (DANT)

A key feature of Leksum’s tool is the use of direct-adhesion nanothermometry (DANT) with 2-nanometer quantum dot nanothermometers. This technology enables precise measurement of muscle efficiency at the cellular level by detecting minute changes in temperature that reflect metabolic activity. Combined with differential immunoexpansion microscopy (DiExM), researchers can use light microscopy to visualize the nanoscale structure and distribution of proteins and organelles within the muscle cells. This advanced imaging provides insights that are not possible with conventional microscopy.

Deep Artificial Intelligence (AI) Integration

Artificial intelligence (AI) is deeply integrated into the platform. Leksum has trained a convolutional neural network (CNN) using DiExM images of the HSkM organoids. This AI system can recognize subtle cellular changes, including shifts in the size, shape, and distribution of organelles and macromolecules—features that might otherwise go undetected or be misinterpreted. This capability supports more accurate diagnosis and assessment of muscle health, potentially leading to earlier and more personalized interventions for patients.

High-Throughput Capabilities for Drug Screening

The platform’s high-throughput capabilities make it ideal for drug screening, speeding up the identification of candidate therapies to counteract muscle wasting. It also supports the development of personalized treatment plans. By using patient-derived primary muscle cell cultures, the technology can help quickly determine which therapies are most likely to be effective for individual patients, marking a significant step toward personalized medicine for muscle disorders.

Broader Applications for Muscle Myopathy Diseases

Leksum’s diagnostic technology has broad applications across its pipeline of treatments for muscle myopathy. It can be used to study muscle loss in various conditions, including that related to the use of mechanical ventilation in ICUs, sarcopenia (age-related muscle loss), cancer cachexia, and even muscle atrophy associated with the use of weight-loss drugs such as GLP-1 agonists. The combination of microfabrication, quantum dot technology, advanced microscopy, and artificial intelligence establishes a new standard for muscle tissue analysis and therapeutic discovery.

This innovative technology complements Leksum’s pipeline of muscle myopathy therapies, by supporting our focus on addressing the urgent need for effective interventions in accelerated muscle loss. The cost of weaning ICU patients from mechanical ventilators (MV) exceeds $100 billion a year (mgt. est.) in the U.S. and Europe. The treatments Leksum is pursuing will significantly reduce both the recovery time and cost of care while improving patient health outcomes. Currently, the company is preparing to enter Phase I/IIa clinical studies as part of its LK-ICU program as it continues to expand its research into other muscle-related conditions.