Illuminare-1 is a precision fluorophore that makes peripheral nerves glow under blue fluorescent light during surgery — turning one of medicine's oldest blind spots into a solved problem for better patient outcomes.
Illuminare-1 requires no new equipment, no modified OR setup, and no change to surgical technique. It slots into the standard pre-operative workflow with a single IV injection.
Illuminare-1 is administered intravenously as part of standard pre-op preparation. No change to anesthesia protocol, surgical positioning, or team workflow.
The compound binds specifically to myelin sheaths. By the time the first incision is made, target nerves are already illuminated and clearly distinguishable from surrounding fat, muscle, and vasculature.
Illuminare-1 fluoresces in the violet-to-blue spectrum (375–425 nm) — distinct from ICG's near-infrared range. It is compatible with open, laparoscopic, and robotic procedures, and works with a wide range of imaging equipment including surgical microscopes, endoscopic cameras, and surgical loupes. Most platforms require no modification; some require only a minor filter adjustment.
Visualization is maintained for the entire duration of surgery. Even as tissue is retracted and anatomy shifts, the fluorescent signal persists — giving surgeons continuous confidence at every critical step.
Any procedure where accidental nerve injury is a documented risk is a potential candidate. Illuminare-1's myelin-binding mechanism is expected to work across all peripheral nerve structures.
Radical prostatectomy carries a 25–75% rate of post-operative erectile dysfunction from cavernous nerve injury. Illuminare-1 is expected to allow surgeons to visualize the neurovascular bundles that standard tactile identification routinely misses.
Intercostal brachial and other sensory nerves are frequently sacrificed during mastectomy, leading to chronic numbness and pain. Illuminare-1 will enable surgeons to identify and spare these structures, with the potential to significantly improve long-term sensory outcomes and quality of life after reconstruction.
Chronic groin pain following hernia repair is largely attributable to injury of the ilioinguinal, iliohypogastric, and genitofemoral nerves. These fine structures are easily overlooked in both open and laparoscopic repairs — fluorescent identification with Illuminare-1 could represent a meaningful advance in this high-volume procedure.
Nerve root identification during lumbar and cervical procedures is currently limited to stimulation probes and anatomical landmarks. Direct fluorescent visualization with Illuminare-1 could add a real-time, non-disruptive safety layer to these procedures.
Additional applicable procedures
Dig deeper into any dimension of the Illuminare story.
Understand the scale of intraoperative nerve injury and why no current tool adequately addresses it.
Explore the mechanism of action, myelin-binding chemistry, and pharmacological profile of Illuminare-1.
Review Phase 1 results and peer-reviewed publications, including our landmark study in JAMA Surgery.