| | ArabMedicare.com News
Dubai | September 5, 2006
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GE Healthcare initiates clinical
trials for first-ever PET imaging agent to track angiogenesis in
cancer
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(ArabMedicare.com News) GE
Healthcare, a division of the General Electric Company (NYSE:GE),
announced that it has initiated a first-in-man clinical study
designed to validate information provided by a molecular imaging
agent in evaluating the extent and nature of cancer. Specifically,
this proprietary positron emission tomography (PET) agent has a
biological mechanism to track the process of angiogenesis, the
formation of new blood vessels in the body.
The body naturally forms new blood vessels during wound healing.
However, angiogenesis is also necessary for the growth of many
tumors beyond a certain size, as a cancerous tumor will recruit
blood vessels in order to sustain accelerated growth.
A molecular imaging agent that binds to the process of angiogenesis
in the body could help physicians identify the location and growth
patterns of tumors. Imaging the angiogenic process at the molecular
level could also enable researchers and clinicians to monitor the
effectiveness of anti-angiogenic cancer drugs and patient response
to drug therapy.
The molecule discovered by GE being studied in this clinical trial
is a radiolabeled small peptide in a configuration that allows high
affinity binding of the peptide to specific integrin receptors
including aVß3. Integrins are associated with endothelial cell
differentiation, proliferation, migration and attachment to the
extra-cellular matrix, which are critical during angiogenesis.
Integrin receptors have limited tissue distribution with high levels
of expression achieved during tumor growth, invasion and metastasis.
The trial, overseen by David Brooks, MD, chief medical officer at GE
IMANET is currently enrolling subjects at the Hammersmith Hospital
in London. This imaging agent will be used to quantify response to
therapy by imaging Stage IV metastatic tumors of the breast before
and after cycles of chemotherapy.
"Angiogenesis is a characteristic process of many cancers, and
we're excited to participate in this clinical trial, which may
provide additional validation for the use of this novel molecular
imaging agent in oncology applications," said Brooks.
"Data from this program could establish a new measurement used
to assess the effectiveness of treatment approaches in cancer."
Angiogenesis is one of the most promising areas of anti-cancer
research, with more than US$4 billion invested in the research and
development of angiogenesis-based medicines, making this one of the
most heavily funded areas of medical research in history. More than
60 anti-angiogenesis drugs are currently in clinical trials.
"Our vision is that one day clinicians will be able to detect
the progression of cancers at an earlier stage, allowing rapid
intervention, which can be monitored for effectiveness and adjusted
quickly to compensate for any lack of response," says Don
Black, head of research and development at GE Healthcare's Medical
Diagnostics division. "We're using our unique capabilities in
biology and engineering to develop imaging agents across all
modalities that provide groundbreaking molecular diagnostic options.
We're planning to utilize our synthesis platform for multi-site
clinical trials and are looking forward to collaborating with the
pharmaceutical industry to enable more targeted therapies and better
results for patients."
GE is planning to use its proprietary FASTlab synthesis platform for
multi-site clinical trials and commercial production of this agent.
This technology features a single-use cassette that contains
pre-measured quantities of all chemicals needed for the synthesis of
radiopharmaceuticals used by technicians in commercial and research
radiopharmacies. FASTlab cassettes require virtually no assembly and
easily snap into the synthesis module. Strictly controlled and
consistent production of PET tracer candidates at each clinical site
is essential and this is a cassette based synthesis system that is
not limited to a single tracer molecule, and accelerates the set up
and execution of these trials. GE Healthcare's goal is to make
innovative tracers available to patients and doctors as soon as
possible.
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