ImmUniverse publishes short video on Low-Intensity Pulsed Ultrasound (LIPUS) for Non-Invasive Ulcerative Colitis Monitoring

The ImmUniverse project has released a new short video introducing its pioneering work on Low-Intensity Pulsed Ultrasound (LIPUS), a non-invasive technology being explored to monitor ulcerative colitis (UC).

Currently, UC is monitored using endoscopic biopsies, invasive procedures that cannot be performed frequently and may miss important disease fluctuations. To address this limitation, ImmUniverse researchers are investigating LIPUS as a novel alternative for tracking disease activity without the need for tissue sampling. LIPUS employs gentle ultrasound waves to stimulate damaged intestinal tissue, encouraging the release of micro-vesicles and molecules, so-called biomarkers, into the bloodstream. These biomarkers can reflect the inflammatory state of the gut, potentially enabling clinicians to monitor UC through a simple blood test rather than invasive biopsies.

Earlier preclinical studies confirmed the safety of LIPUS and identified optimal parameters to trigger the release of specific microRNAs (miRNAs) and small molecules that indicate inflammation. Application of this technique to samples from UC patients further demonstrated its ability to release miRNAs correlating with key clinical parameters.

Building on these findings, the first clinical study using LIPUS in UC patients was approved by the Ethical Committee and the Italian Ministry of Health and officially launched in March 2025. The study is taking place at Humanitas Research Hospital and San Raffaele Hospital in Milan, Italy, under the leadership of Dr Alessandro Armuzzi and Dr Silvio Danese, internationally recognised experts in inflammatory bowel diseases.

Running until April 2026, the study involves 90 participants across two phases:

• Phase A (Pilot Study): 30 UC patients with active disease and 10 healthy volunteers.
• Phase B (Pivotal Study): 50 UC patients in remission undergoing targeted therapy.

Its main objective is to evaluate whether LIPUS can effectively stimulate the release of molecular signals into the bloodstream that reflect intestinal inflammation, and whether these molecules can serve as reliable indicators for monitoring treatment response over time.

By harnessing cutting-edge ultrasound technology, ImmUniverse is advancing towards a future where UC can be monitored non-invasively, improving patient comfort while delivering valuable insights into disease dynamics.

Watch the new video to discover more about this innovative approach!