OTTAWA, June 24, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- MDS Nordion, a
leading provider of products and services to the global health
science market, Guerbet, a pharmaceutical group specialized in
medical imaging, and Cyceron, a biomedical imaging centre in
France, announced today they have
entered into an agreement to develop new Positron Emission
Tomography (PET) radiotracers for cancer diagnostics. The project,
which brings together three world-class scientific teams, will
investigate a radiopharmaceutical using Gallium-68 (Ga-68) to
assess its functionality and image quality, develop a formulation
to allow preparation at an imaging clinic and evaluate commercial
feasibility.
Under the terms of the agreement, MDS Nordion, Guerbet, and
Cyceron will provide complementary expertise in radiochemistry,
radiolabeling and targeted delivery of radioisotopes. Guerbet will
lead the project for its duration as the scientific coordinator. In
addition, each party will provide scientific resources and in-kind
contributions for the project.
"It is exciting that these partners, working in complementary
areas and from different nations, have deployed their efforts to
advance this technology that will ultimately benefit patients,"
said Claire Corot, Vice President, Research, Guerbet. "Currently,
PET imaging agents have contributed to considerable diagnostic
advances; however, our project will investigate and determine if a
Gallium-68 based radiotracer can become an additional imaging tool
more widely used by clinicians."
Support and funding of this project will be provided to Guerbet
through OSEO Innovation, under the authority of France's Ministries of Finance, Industry,
Small Businesses and Research. In addition, Eureka - an
intergovernmental initiative aimed at enhancing European
competitiveness - has assisted in facilitating access and
eligibility to national public and private funding. This project
has received the internationally recognized Eureka label indicating
the organization's full support. Cyceron is also supported by the
Regional Council of Lower Normandy, OSEO Lower Normandy and the
European Regional Development Fund.
"This project is another example of how MDS Nordion continues to
be a valued partner by leaders in the molecular imaging field,"
says Peter Covitz, Senior
Vice-President, Innovation, MDS Nordion. "We believe that
partnering with Guerbet and Cyceron - utilizing our different
strengths and capabilities - will further advance technology and
improve molecular imaging for the future."
"This project meets the mission of Cyceron, pooling skills,
experience, technical knowledge and financial resources to advance
technology platforms that will ultimately benefit hospitals and
research facilities," said Bernard
Mazoyer, Director of Cyceron. "Through this groundbreaking
research we hope to bring new and innovative PET imaging tracers
from conceptualization to realization."
Currently, the most common radioisotope used in PET imaging is
Fluorine-18, used to create the tracer for glucose, F-18
fluorodeoxyglucose, commonly known as FDG. However, Gallium-68 is
viewed by the research and medical communities as an important
emerging isotope for the development of new diagnostic PET tracers.
Gallium-68 is produced from a small generator rather than directly
from a cyclotron, greatly reducing the infrastructure needed to
prepare an agent for clinics.
About Guerbet
Guerbet is the only pharmaceutical group fully dedicated to
medical imaging. It has the most comprehensive range of x-ray and
MRI contrast media available worldwide. These products assist
medical professionals (radiologists, cardiologists, oncologists,
etc.) in better diagnosing and treating their patients
(cardiovascular, cancer, inflammatory and neurodegenerative
diseases).
To develop new products and assure its future growth, every year
Guerbet devotes significant resources to research and development
with 180 R&D employees and an amount equivalent to
approximately 10 percent of sales.
Guerbet is solidly positioned in Europe with a market share of 25 percent and
is expanding its presence in the United
States and Japan. Guerbet,
listed on Eurolist Euronext Paris in compartment B had sales in
2009 of (euro)335.5 million with a total workforce of 1,300
employees.
For additional information please consult:
http://www.guerbet.com.
About Cyceron
Established in 1985, Cyceron is a centre for biomedical imaging
and research in the field of neuroscience. The organization is a
public interest group, working under the aegis of the main national
institutes of research CEA, CNRS, Inserm. In addition, Cyceron has
established partnerships with the University of Caen, the
University Hospital of Caen, the François Baclesse Anti-Cancer
Centre, GANIL, as well as the Lower Normandy Region.
Cyceron is one of three advanced research centres in
France that studies Positron
Emission Tomography. The organization continues to advance its
research and development programs thanks to generous financial
support from the French State, the Territorial Communities, and the
European Union (FEDER). Cyceron accommodates over 6000 m(2) of
unique and complex laboratories, with instruments for pre-clinical
and clinical research. In addition, it houses a cyclotron and
chemistry laboratories for the production of radiopharmaceuticals,
molecular and cellular biology laboratories, associated physiology
installations, positron cameras, high-resolution magnetic resonance
imaging devices, and electroencephalographic mapping devices.
Cyceron hosts the Centre for Imaging-Neuroscience and
Applications to Pathologies (CI-NAPS), a research unit that is part
of the Methodological Developments in Positron Emission Tomography
Group, headed by Louisa Barré.
For more information about Cyceron visit
http://www.cyceron.fr.
About MDS
MDS Inc. (TSX: MDS; NYSE: MDZ) is a global health science
company that provides market-leading products and services used for
the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease. We are a
leading provider of innovative technologies for use in medical
imaging and radiotherapeutics, and sterilization technologies
benefiting the lives of millions of people in more than 65
countries around the world. Our products and services are used
daily by pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, medical-device
manufacturers, hospitals, clinics and research laboratories. MDS
has more than 700 highly skilled people in five locations. Find out
more at http://www.mdsnordion.com.
For further information: MEDIA: Tamra
Benjamin, +1(613)-592-3400, ext. 1022,
tamra.benjamin@mdsinc.com; INVESTORS: Ana
Raman, +1(613)-595-4580, investor.relations@mdsinc.com