GE Healthcare has received an additional supply of its Optison ultrasound contrast agent to visualize the left ventricular border to diagnose certain heart diseases, such as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
GE said it secured the additional supply to meet the current market demand, and that it "may minimize supply issues resulting from competitor shortage."
Optison is indicated for use in patients with suboptimal echocardiograms to opacify the left ventricle and to improve delineation of the left ventricular endocardial borders. While GE received the additional supply from its contract manufacturer, the company intends to accelerate plans to manufacture Optison at its own facility in Oslo, Norway.
The transition to in-house manufacturing is scheduled for completion in 2013.
