Scientific and Medical Animation services

A Focus On ALK-positive Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

In partnership with Wedgewood Communications, XVIVO developed two videos for Takeda Oncology to discuss lung cancer mechanism of disease and treatments.

This animation takes an extensive and detailed look at the sub-populations of patients who have non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), which affects about 198,000 new patients in the United States each year. The animation discussed the variety of possible mutations seen in lung cancer, with a focus on NSCLCs with an ALK mutation. With so many acronyms to be used in the animation, we were challenged to clearly present the lung cancer types and the possible genetic mutations found in the tumor cells.

Learn more about this animation in our blog, Demystifying the Lung Cancer Alphabet Soup.

CONDUIT™ Interbody Platform

XVIVO and DePuy Synthes (a Johnson & Johnson company) recently partnered on an animation of their CONDUIT™ Interbody medical devices to help healthcare providers understand the level of engineering and detail that is embedded in the devices, with the goal of optimizing efficacy. The animation is used as playback loop in a conference booth and as an asset for live presentations, with images from the animation used for print and digital enduring materials.

Learn more about this animation in our blog, CONDUIT™ Interbody Platform.

XERMELO MOA

XVIVO partnered with Lexicon Pharmaceuticals to create a series of high end medical animations that provide an overview of carcinoid syndrome diarrhea (CSD). The program illustrates how XERMELO, through the inhibition of TPH, turns down the overproduction of serotonin within neuroendocrine tumor cells, helping patients gain control over carcinoid syndrome.

While we typically represent cellular and molecular mechanisms in a realistic manner, for this program we re-envisioned cancer cells as grungy steam punk factories, peppered with smoke stacks billowing out serotonin.

Protac Platform

The biopharmaceutical company Arvinas Inc. has taken a unique approach to develop investigational therapies for hard-to-treat diseases, including cancers. XVIVO, in collaboration with Wyant Simboli and their client, Arvinas Inc., helped communicate the unconventional mechanism of action for a new class of drugs that engage the body’s own protein disposal system to target cancers and other difficult-to-treat diseases.

Arvinas’ approach is to tag a protein implicated in a disease with their proprietary Proteolysis-Targeting Chimera, or PROTAC. PROTACs are small molecules that can be tailored to tag particular proteins. The PROTAC also binds to a naturally-occurring protein that ultimately results in the disease protein being degraded by the body’s natural disposal system.

The XVIVO animation showcased the multiple steps in the natural pathway for protein degradation and the tunable structure of the PROTAC molecule. The animation gave Arvinas a crucial tool to accurately and succinctly illustrate the PROTAC mechanism of action.

Learn more about this animation in our blog, Illustrating the Unconventional: PROTAC Technology for Disease Therapy.

Medtronic Sacral Neuromodulation

Medtronic Sacral Neuromodulation is a treatment option for patients with overactive bladder (OAB). This 3D medical animation shows dysfunction to the neurological pathway that is believed to contribute to urinary control. The InterStim system provides a minimally-invasive option to modulate electrical activity between the muscles responsible for urination and the brain. Using this system, patients may find relief from OAB without the need for physical treatment of the bladder and sphincter muscles.

View more medical device animations: Quantum Cell Expansion System and Heart Sciences MyoVista Wavelet ECG Technology.

Biostage Cellframe Technology

About 456,000 new cases of esophageal cancer occur each year. In the United States alone, there are 17,000 new cases. Esophageal cancer is treated with an esophagectomy, which has a 90-day mortality rate as high as 19%. Biostage is pioneering a new technology to regenerate the patient’s native esophagus through Cellframe Technology. Two weeks before the esophagectomy, stem cells are extract and incubated with the Cellspan implant in a bioreactor. This animation shows how Cellframe Technology works to regenerate esophagus tissue and muscle through stem cells as well as the Cellspan Implant process.

Learn more about how XVIVO is a trusted partner for start-up companies in our blog, Start-up with Style: Launch your Visuals with XVIVO.

Brain Shuttle

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is a highly selective membrane system that prevents unwanted passage of molecules into the brain extracellular fluid. Consequently, the BBB also significantly hinders the effectiveness of drugs used to treat a number of neurological disorders. Roche has engineered a protein module that can greatly enhance the passage of therapeutic agents across the blood-brain barrier. This 3D medical animation depicts the mechanism by which the “Brain Shuttle” module operates.

View our illustration “Blood-Brain Barrier” which depicts the challenges of delivering an antibody therapeutic across the blood-brain barrier.

Voxelotor An Investigational Drug for Sickle Cell Disease

In collaboration with Global Blood Therapeutics, our folks here at XVIVO created this medical animation to illustrate the mechanism of action of a potential drug candidate for the treatment of sickle cell disease (SCD). SCD is caused by a point mutation in the hemoglobin gene, resulting in the aggregation and polymerization of deoxygenated hemoglobin. This causes structural deformation of red blood cells into the characteristic “sickle” shape, which can lead to cellular lysis and vaso-occlusion, impairing oxygen delivery and causing a number of health effects. Voxelotor is an investigational disease-modifying drug that binds to hemoglobin and increases its affinity to oxygen, keeping it in its oxygenated state. By diluting the concentration of deoxygenated hemoglobin, mutant hemoglobin may be kept from polymerizing, thus preventing cellular sickling and its many clinical consequences.

To view a related animation click here: SB-030: A Novel Matrix Regulator.

Thoracic Outlet Syndrome

Dr. Parth Shah, the Director of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery at the Thoracic Outlet Center at Hartford Healthcare’s Heart and Vascular institute asked XVIVO to create an animation of a surgery he performs to relieve a condition called thoracic outlet syndrome, or TOS. A very realistic style of animation was chosen to accurately portray what occurs during the surgery. The animation contains very detailed visuals and voice over to inform patients and families about the procedure, and which could also serve as educational material on TOS surgery for surgeons-in-training.

Learn more about this animation in our blog, Precision in Animating Surgery.