Luna Innovations Rolls Out MRI Contrast Agent

LUNA | news | PowerRating | PR Charts -- The product development team at the nanoWorks division of Luna Innovations has produced a class of molecules designed to provide improvements to the quality of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), the company reported.

nanoWorks said the class of molecules provides a platform upon which Luna plans to build a portfolio of nanomedicines aimed at disease targeting and diagnostic imaging.

MRI is a non-invasive diagnostic procedure that enables physicians to visualize organs, soft tissues, bone and virtually all other internal body structures through magnetic interactions. MRI does not use ionizing radiation (x-rays). These medical imaging procedures are enhanced by the use of contrast agents to further improve diagnosis. The MRI contrast agent market is reported to be more than $1 billion annually and is currently dominated by gadolinium chelate-based agents which are the subject of class-action lawsuit concerns due to the potential release of gadolinium into the body.

The class of molecules discovered by Luna is called Hydrochalarone --Hydro, meaning water, combined with Chalaro, the Greek word for relax.

"The high relaxivity in Hydrochalarone means fewer molecules are needed to obtain a better quality image," said Robert Lenk, President of Luna's nanoWorks division. "Our studies demonstrate that our proprietary nanomaterials do not release gadolinium under conditions which are found in the human body. Our imaging studies in mice have shown Hydrochalarone improves image quality up to 30 minutes after injection at a dose 20 times lower than that used with current agents."

"Achieving high magnetic resonance relaxivity with a small, biologically inert, chemical moiety that can be derivatized for targeted tissue delivery, cell tracking, or inclusion as part of a nanoparticle drug delivery vehicle is a Holy Grail within the fast evolving field of biomarker development," said Dr. Joseph Ackerman renowned MRI researcher and Chemistry Department Chairman at Washington University in St. Louis. "The design and production of Hydrochalarones by scientists at Luna nanoWorks may herald such an advance."

Luna Innovations develops and manufactures products for the healthcare, telecommunications, energy and defense markets.

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