Biopharmaceutical companies Advanced Magnetics of Cambridge, MA and Princeton, NJ-based Cytogen said studies presented at this week’s RSNA meeting indicate that investigational MRI contrast agent Combidex is able to distinguish malignant from normal lymph nodes in a variety of cancers, including prostate and renal tumors.
A Massachusetts General Hospital study evaluated 50 patients with proven primary prostate cancer with MRI before and after administration of Combidex. Compared to the usual histopathologic analysis, radiologists using the Combidex-enhanced images were able to detect malignant lymph nodes with 92% sensitivity and 93% specificity, a high level of correlation.
In a separate study, data from 12 patients with renal cancer were evaluated using MRI before and after Combidex administration and later compared to pathology results following surgery. Radiologists using the Combidex-enhanced images were able to detect malignant lymph nodes with 86.6% sensitivity and 96.9% specificity.
Combidex is the lead product in Advanced Magnetics’ development pipeline. It received an approvable letter, subject to certain conditions, in June 2000 from the U.S. Food and Drug Adminstration for use in the diagnosis of lymph node disease. Cytogen has exclusive U.S. markeing rights to Combidex.
By AuntMinnie.com staff writers
December 4, 2002
Copyright © 2002 AuntMinnie.com
