Hadasit - the Technology Transfer Company of Hadassah Medical Organization has signed a $4 million license and cooperation agreement with Poland's Synektik SA (WSE: STE) to develop new imaging agents for non-invasive diagnosis of cardiovascular diseases
Synektik will finance research and pre-clinical development of the imaging agents over a period of three years, followed by possible milestone payments and royalties. In return, Synektik receives a worldwide license to the newly developed imaging agents and will lead further development, the clinical trials registration and commercialization.
The technology is based on a new agent for use in PET/CT scans, which enables a quantitative measurement of blood flow to the heart. This marker also enables doctors to make a qualitative analysis of damage caused after a heart attack, and predict the degree of recovery for the heart after a heart attack or bypass surgery. Implementing the application of this newly-identified marker to diagnose patients with coronary artery diseases could facilitate more accurate diagnoses and treatment methods. The research will be conducted in the Cyclotron and Radiochemistry Unit in Hadassah Hospital Ein Kerem in cooperation with the Synektik's new R&D facility in Warsaw.
Hadassah Hospital Cyclotron and Radiochemistry Unit director Prof. Eyal Mishani said that the funding would facilitate pre-clinical R&D stages and preparation for clinical trials which will be performed jointly with Synektik.
Hadasit CEO Dr. Einat Zisman and Synektik president and CEO Cezary Kozanecki signed the agreement. The companies said that royalties have great potential, since the field of cardiac blood flow measurement addresses a $2 billion annual market.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on November 19, 2013
© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2013