A Screening-Specific Disposable Endoscope (Gastroscope)
The World’s First Endoscopic System Designed Exclusively for Screening
For more than 50 years, gastric cancer screening in Japan has been dominated by barium-based X-ray examinations. While a gradual shift toward endoscopic screening is now underway, current endoscopes have evolved into too-highly sophisticated tools for precise diagnostic and therapeutic use. Their high cost—often several million yen per unit—and operational complexity make them unsuitable for mass screening.
Founder representative Kiyokazu Nakajima, MD, PhD, FACS, a medical device development expert, recognized this structural issue early on. The requirements for cancer screening are fundamentally different. Screening primarily targets healthy individuals and requires efficient detection of suspicious lesions—not the advanced functionality needed for precise diagnosis and complicated treatment.
Based on this insight, we adopted a “zero-based development” approach, building only the functions necessary for screening from the ground up. This has led to the development of the world’s first ultra-thin, screening-specific disposable endoscope (gastroscope).
A New Screening System Enabled by Four Innovations
Ultra-Thin Design for Minimal Discomfort
Our device achieves the world’s thinnest diameter, optimized for trans-nasal insertion. This design significantly reduces gag reflex compared to conventional trans-oral endoscopy. With simplified up-and-down controls, examinations can be performed efficiently with only the functions required for screening.
Fully Disposable, Zero Downtime
The most significant innovation is its fully single-use design.
By pricing the device within the typical out-of-pocket range of current endoscopic screening, our device can be adopted without increasing participant’s ecomonic burden. The elimination of cleaning, disinfection, and drying processes allows screenings to be conducted more efficiently with zero downtime.
This dramatically increases throughput at screening centers while reducing operational costs.
In addition, the system connects directly to a dedicated tablet device, eliminating the need for expensive endoscopy towers. By integrating an LED light source at the tip, fiber optics and high-cost external light sources are no longer required—significantly reducing infrastructure investment.
Sterilized, Individually Packaged
Each device is pre-sterilized and individually packaged, achieving a higher standard of safety than conventional disinfection-based reusable systems.
Reusable endoscopes require cleaning, disinfection, and drying after each use, and infection risk can never be fully eliminated. In contrast, our disposable endoscope is sterilized at the conclusion of manufacturing and provided in sealed individual packaging.
Each participant uses a brand-new device, effectively reducing infection risk to near zero.
AI-Powered Diagnostic Support: Accuracy and Efficiency
While the hardware is simplified, the software incorporates advanced technology.
Our AI-powered diagnostic support system, optimized for screening, automatically detects suspicious lesions and generates reports. We have demonstrated that sufficient diagnostic accuracy for screening can be achieved without advanced imaging technology of conventional endoscopes.
Each device is assigned a unique ID during manufacturing, enabling a one-to-one linkage between the endoscope and the patient. This ensures precise data management, enables automated reporting to patients, referral institutions, and municipalities, and creates a foundation for future epidemiological research using big data.
Transforming Gastric Cancer Screening in Japan
For Healthcare Providers
Endoscopic screening with our endoscopes can be introduced without significant upfront investment. Smaller clinics will be able to offer screening services, greatly expanding access.
With zero downtime, the number of examinations per day can increase dramatically, while reducing the workload and costs associated with cleaning and disinfection.
For Screening Participants
The ultra-thin, low-discomfort design significantly lowers the psychological barrier to screening.
With lower out-of-pocket costs and no radiation exposure or infection risk, safer and more accessible screening can be widely adopted.
For Society
By increasing screening participation rates (currently around 40%), our solution has the potential to unlock a massive market of tens of millions of people.
Earlier detection and treatment will improve outcomes while contributing to the reduction of overall healthcare costs.
Pathway to Global Expansion
In parallel with the approval process in Japan, we plan to expand into Asian markets, including South Korea, Singapore, Thailand, and China.
In emerging markets where endoscopy is not yet widely available, e.g. African countries, our solution has the potential to become the “first endoscopy” platform. Its fully sterilized design also enables broader applications, including intraoperative use.
We are currently developing our prototypes in collaboration with manufacturing partners. Following iterative improvements, we aim for market launch around 2029 to early 2030, with regulatory approval processes already underway.
We are committed to realizing our mission: creating “solutions” from “inside the organ lumen (endoluminal)”
By transforming gastric cancer screening in Japan and expanding this successful model globally, Endoluminal Solutions Inc. aims to redefine the future of healthcare.