Technology development firm BTG of West Conshohocken, PA, has licensed an imaging probe that could be used for the development of a new contrast agent for the detection of heart disease. BTG licensed the technology from the Memorial University of Newfoundland in Canada, where it was developed.
The probe uses a new chemical compound that is encapsulated into an acetylated low-density lipoprotein (LDL). When injected into the bloodstream, the probe travels to the site of atherosclerotic plaque and provides lesion-specific delivery of a diagnostic agent. The plaque can then be detected by nuclear imaging with a gamma camera or CT scanning.
BTG believes the technology will be an improvement on current cardiac imaging techniques, which identify only changes in blood flow. The new technology has the potential to not only identify the presence of atherosclerotic lesions, but also their location and stage of progression, the company said.
BTG said it plans to commercialize the technology by licensing it to other firms. The company is seeking to partner with companies capable of developing and marketing medical imaging agents.
By AuntMinnie.com staff writersJuly 1, 2003
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