Spago Pix
Novel tumor selective MRI contrast agent
SPAGO Imaging develops a novel and proprietary tumor selective contrast agent for MRI, SPAGO Pix, which has the potential to significantly improve visualization of most soft tissue tumors.
SPAGO Pix has unique features with potential to:
-Enable detection of small tumors
-Reduce the number of false positives
MRI is a very good imaging technique for soft tissue visualization, but a concern with MRI for tumor diagnostics today is the relatively high number of false positive results, leading to unnecessary worrying for the patient as well as high costs for follow-up examinations. The contrast agent that SPAGO Imaging is developing accumulates in tumor tissue and has significantly higher signal strength than the commercially available MRI contrast agents today. This enables better contrast between the tumor and surrounding tissue and higher specificity, thus reducing the risk for false positive results.
Today’s MRI contrast agents are almost exclusively based on gadolinium which is associated with Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis (NSF), a severe condition that can affect patients with impaired renal function. This has led to warnings from both US and European regulatory authorities. SPAGO has recently achieved good results in vivo and in vitro with gadolinium-free particles, meaning that, in addition to the good diagnostic properties, there is no risk for NSF.
SPAGO Pix is a nanoparticle based contrast agent with exceptionally high relaxivity that selectively accumulates in tumor tissue. To date, excellent contrast between tumor and surrounding tissue has been obtained in a preclinical proof of concept study which indicates the potential as a clinical diagnostic. Further efficacy- and toxicity studies are ongoing and GLP toxicity studies will be initiated in 2012.
