Advanced XFI. Not Sci-Fi, but Real Progress.

axiom insights provides advanced X-ray Fluorescence Imaging (XFI) for both in vivo and ex vivo applications. For the first time, we can track drugs, antibodies, biomolecules, and immune cells across the whole body over time, without depth limitations. This makes previously inaccessible data visible, delivering dynamic insights into biodistribution, efficacy, safety, and immune responses.

Turning Noise Into Knowledge.

How it Works

Our XFI technology enables precise, depth-independent tracking of drugs, diagnostic agents, and even living cells in vivo. Compounds or carriers are tagged with markers such as gold nanoparticles or elements between Zirconium and Neodymium. These emit X-ray echoes when excited, allowing us to localize and quantify targets with unmatched sensitivity and resolution.

Tagging the Target.

Step 1

We label drugs, carriers, or immune cells with XFI markers — typically gold nanoparticles or other safe elements between Zirconium and Neodymium. This flexible marker range ensures tracers fit the biological system.

Precision Excitation at the Synchrotron.

Step 2

At DESY’s PETRA III synchrotron, one of the world’s brightest and most advanced X-ray sources, we expose the test subject to highly focused beams. The markers emit unique X-ray echoes, even from deep inside tissue, with no radioactive load.

Signal Capture & Smart Filtering.

Step 3

Ultra-sensitive detectors record these faint photon signals. Our proprietary algorithms, developed with DESY researchers, separate true marker signals from background noise, unlocking insights that were previously impossible.

Transforming Data into Images.

Step 4

We reconstruct the signals into high-resolution 2D maps that show marker distribution with ~1 mm spatial resolution and minute-scale temporal resolution. Heatmaps highlight concentrations at sites of interest, delivering clear, actionable insights.

Actionable Insights for Pharma.

Step 5

These images are translated into quantitative biodistribution, pharmacokinetics, and immune dynamics. This delivers actionable data for efficacy, safety, and regulatory submissions — faster, cheaper, and with fewer animals.

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Advanced Imaging. Clear insights. We took XFI and sharpened its view.

Why our Method is unique

XFI is a well-known principle, but until recently it could not be applied to larger biological objects. The challenge was that X-rays scatter multiple times inside the body: This created a disruptive background that masked the markers’ true fluorescence signals.

Prof. Dr. Florian Grüner and his team of researchers at the University of Hamburg (UHH) solved this problem with a patent-protected algorithm that filters the noise and isolates the real signal. axiom insights has acquired the rights to this breakthrough.

Scientific Reports About us

Side-by-side comparison with established methods

Deep XFI vs. PET: Challenging the Status Quo.

While PET is an established imaging method, it comes with major limitations such as radioactive tracers, short half-lives, high costs, and heavy animal use. axiom’s advanced XFI delivers higher sensitivity and resolution, no depth limits, unlimited observation windows, and requires far fewer animals.

Feature

PET

XFI by axiom insights

Depth limitation

MNo (but limited by noise & tracer decay)

NUnlimited, full-body imaging

Tracer type

MRadioactive isotopes (short half-life)

NStable chemical elements (Zr–Nd, no half-life)

Longitudinal studies

MLimited. New animals for each time point

NSame animal, repeated measurements over weeks/months

Animal use (3R compliance)

MHeavy animal use

NStrong reduction in animal use

Safety

MRadiation load from radioactive tracers

NNo radiation burden, safe repeated use

Resolution

MTypically 1–2 mm

N0.5–1.0 mm (down to 0.25 mm)

Sensitivity

MHigh, but tracer decay limits signal

NHigher. Detects even tiny amounts

Efficacy tracking

MIndirect, limited duration

NDirect visualization of drug/immune cell dynamics

Data for regulators (FDA/EMA)

MStandard but limited datasets

NRicher biodistribution & safety data

Costs & effort

MHigh (tracer production, safety)

NLower (fewer animals, no radiochemistry)

“Our method is globally unique — no other research group worldwide can perform in vivo X-ray measurements in living animals.”

Prof. Dr. Florian Grüner, Co-Founder

Benefits for Your Research

Our method gives you a complete, real-time picture of how drugs, carriers, or immune cells behave inside the whole body — not just at the surface or in isolated tissues. This enables dynamic insights into biodistribution, efficacy, safety, and immune response that no other method can provide.

5Whole-body data without depth limits
5Longitudinal tracking in the same subject
5Visualization of previously undetectable molecules
5Higher data quality with fewer animals per study
5Robust PK/PD insights to guide discovery

Benefits for Your Business

For your organization, XFI translates into faster go/no-go decisions, minimal animal use, and more reliable data to strengthen your FDA/EMA submissions. This reduces R&D costs and risk, while accelerating development timelines.

5Shorter R&D cycles and faster path to market
5Reduced risk of late-stage failure
5Lower costs through fewer, more informative studies
5Stronger regulatory submissions and approval prospects
5Extended effective patent lifetimes and clear ROI

Benefits for research & business

Applications Beyond Pharma

XFI is not only a game changer for drug development, its potential also extends to the biotechnology industry. If you would like to learn more, simply reach out. We will explore your needs, show you how to integrate, test the method, and scale up together.

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