Tuesday, September 25, 2018
Cerveau Technologies, Inc. today announced a research collaboration agreement with Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. for use of [F-18]MK-6240, an investigational imaging agent to be used in Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scans for assessing the status and progression of neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) in the brain. NFTs made up of aggregated tau protein are a hallmark of several neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease.
The collaboration is focused on using [F-18]MK-6240 as a biomarker in Ionis neurodegenerative disease research studies. The parties will collaborate to evaluate the effect of therapies on the progression of neurodegenerative diseases in humans such as Alzheimer disease.
Cerveau is focused on providing information and technologies to researchers and clinicians to enable the improvement of brain health” said Rick Hiatt, President and CEO of Cerveau Technologies, Inc. “We are thrilled by the opportunity to work with Ionis to foster development of this exciting technology. Consistent with our vision, we will make novel imaging biomarkers and supporting informatics available to our pharmaceutical industry and academic partners, providing access to the broader scientific community.”
“There is a critical need for sensitive biomarkers for early in-life diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases to allow for more appropriate staging of disease states, and measuring the effect of disease-modifying therapeutics,” said Frank Bennett, SVP Research of Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. “Imaging agents such as [F-18]MK-6240are important tools for accelerating the development of our disease modifying antisense therapies.”
