Verinnogen
Scaling up precision tools to transform cancer research
The challenge
In pre-clinical cancer research, accurately tracking tumour response to treatment is essential for evaluating the effectiveness of new therapies. Yet, the current standard – using handheld callipers – which provides just 2 linear measurements to approximate the volume of a complex 3D structure, demands extensive training, and is prone to human error. These limitations slow progress, add cost, and hinder the development of life-saving treatments.
Cambridge-based start-up Verinnogen is transforming this process with a breakthrough handheld device that delivers precise, repeatable 3D measurements of subcutaneous tumours. This innovation enables researchers to gather richer, more reliable data faster and with greater confidence.
To bring this technology to market, Verinnogen needed a scalable method for manufacturing one of its most critical components: an array of phosphorescent pins, whose glow uniformity directly impacts measurement accuracy.
Our partnership with Verinnogen was supported by Innovate UK Business Growth’s RTO/Catapult grant scheme, which enables UK SMEs to work with Catapults, as well as research and technology organisations to access facilities and expertise. Through this partnership, we helped Verinnogen reformulate the phosphorescent resin, validate its performance, and develop a semi-automated, scalable production process, paving the way for commercial launch and accelerating the future of cancer research.
“Verinnogen prototyped a manual process requiring high levels of skill and long periods of time to provide consistent outputs. CPI helped us by using their skilled and capable resources combined with their knowledge of materials, formulation and dispensing, to upgrade the process that is now capable of improved consistency — aligning with corporate growth targets.”
How CPI helped
- Reformulated Verinnogen’s phosphorescent material into an epoxy resin for more consistent glow across pins.
- Developed a robust process for mixing phosphor powder using dual-axis centrifugal mixing and three-roll milling.
- Validated resin performance and produced batches for testing.
- Enabled manual and automated dispensing, supporting production of thousands of prototype pins.
- Helped Verinnogen move from Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 2 to 5.
- Recommended resin optimisation and automated dispensing trials.
Achievements
- Reduced pin production time and variability, improving uniformity and performance.
- Created a path to automated manufacturing, with a 10x potential cost saving.
- Enabled Verinnogen to meet urgent milestones for customer delivery and funding applications.
Impact
Verinnogen’s device has the potential to transform how researchers assess tumour response to treatment in pre-clinical studies. By delivering accurate, repeatable 3D measurements, the device enhances data quality and accelerates the development of new cancer therapies, with the potential to help bring effective treatments to patients faster and more efficiently.
Our support has played a pivotal role in advancing this innovation towards commercial readiness. By developing a consistent, scalable process for producing the device’s pins, we helped Verinnogen reduce production time, improve reliability, and seed pre-production devices with research partners in their target market – moving the technology to pilot scale (TRL 5).
This progress marks a significant leap from early-stage prototyping to a commercially viable process, which is a key milestones needed to unlock further funding and grow the business.
With a robust manufacturing approach in place, Verinnogen is now well-positioned to scale its operations and expand its reach across the cancer research community. Our work with Verinnogen has set the stage for full automation in future production and even greater cost savings.
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