Biotechnology developer Molecular Targeting Technologies has received an exclusive license from the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) for rights to a U.S. patent covering a technetium-99m (Tc-99m) radiopharmaceutical for noninvasive imaging of dead and dying cells.
The patent covers the synthesis and characterization of Tc-99m hydrazinonicotinamide (HYNIC) Duramycin, the firm said. Imaging with this targeting agent will initially be developed for diagnosing acute coronary syndrome in patients with chest pain who have no obvious signs of heart attack.
The company estimates that 10% to 20% of such patients will not have a clear cause of their chest pain and may be candidates for Tc-99m-HYNIC-Duramycin imaging.
