Neuroendocrine Cancer
New nuclear medicine therapy under development
The collaboration between two companies may pave the way for the development of new therapy options for neuroendocrine tumors: Covidien LTd, a global provider of healthcare products and BioSynthema Inc., a company specialized in the discovery and development of molecular targeted biophamaceuticals recently signed an agreement that will gain BioSynthema access to specific Covidien proprietary peptide technology. The company can use this technologies in conjunction with its own ones and clinical research results to strengthen further research in a new targeted radionuclide therapy product.
This new technology utilizes a radiolabeled peptite that targets specific somatostatin receptors on neuroendocrine cancer cells. If apporoved, this drug candidate will add to Covidiens´s portfolio of nuclear medicine oncology agents.
“We are very pleased to be working with BioSynthema on this important technology,” said Steve Hanley, President of Covidien Imaging Solutions at this years´RSNA in Chicago. The company already distributes OctreoScan, a molecular imaging agent which is indicated for the scintigraphic detection and localization of primary and metastatic neuroendocrine tumors bearing somatostatin receptors.
Using the technology, BioSynthema has collaborated with Eric Krenning, M.D., Ph.D., FRCP and Professor of Nuclear Medicine at the Erasmus Medical Centre in the Netherlands, for more than five years on a clinical therapy study, which has enrolled more than 600 patients.
“The incidence of neuroendocrine tumors is approximately 20,000 new cases a year in the U.S. and Europe,” said Jack Erion, Ph.D., President and CEO of BioSynthema. “ If approved, this technology would provide a new therapeutic drug for those patients who currently have very limited treatment options.”
19.12.2007
