VisEn Molecular Imaging Technology Enables Key Insights Into Newly Discovered Biologic Pathway Published In SCIENCE

Main Category: MRI / PET / Ultrasound
Also Included In: Biology / Biochemistry
Article Date: 31 Jul 2009 - 2:00 PDT

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VisEn Medical Inc., a leader in fluorescence in vivo imaging from research through medicine, announced that scientists reporting in the July 31 issue of SCIENCE have discovered a key disease-related biologic pathway using an integrated and innovative array of in vitro readouts and advanced in vivo imaging technologies. The newly reported biologic pathway relates to monocyte deployment from the spleen to inflammatory sites, including myocardial infarction. The findings are expected to open up new areas of research and potentially advance therapeutic approaches to key disease areas including inflammation and myocardial injury.

In the SCIENCE report, entitled "Identification of Splenic Reservoir Monocytes and Their Deployment to Inflammatory Sites," researchers at the Massachusetts General Hospital's Center for Systems Biology found that monocytes were held in concentration in the spleen and released to injured tissue sites in the body to participate in wound healing. As presented in the findings, the reporting scientists discovered and detailed the biologic pathway through the use of a series of advanced and integrated in vitro assays, microscopic readouts, and in vivo imaging methodologies, including Magnetic Resonance (MR) imaging combined with quantitative Fluorescence Molecular Tomographic (FMT) imaging. Used together in a series of novel scientific models, the researchers developed correlated data sets to both identify this previously unidentified splenic reservoir of monocytes, and demonstrate the monocyte deployment to inflammatory sites in vivo. In the in vivo data analysis, non-invasive, quantitative FMT imaging using novel fluorescent molecular imaging agents, combined with MR imaging, clearly demonstrated not only the location, but also the biological activity of the recruited splenic monocytes at the disease site, thus helping to confirm "unambiguously the fate of monocytes from the spleen to the heart."

"We see the integration of in vitro and in vivo readouts becoming increasingly important in research today, and we are extremely pleased that our FMT quantitative in vivo imaging technology and activatable in vivo imaging agents were able to help the research team answer some of the key questions about this important biologic pathway in vivo," said Dr. Jeffrey Peterson, VP, Applied Biology at VisEn Medical. "When cardiac molecular imaging data from the FMT was combined with MRI imaging, the researchers were able to create a fused molecular and anatomical imaging map of the heart to identify and quantify biomarkers of monocyte activity in vivo. These results enabled an important data correlation that further enhanced the integrated array of in vitro assays and microscopy-based readouts of this important pathway."

About VisEn Medical Inc.

VisEn's in vivo fluorescence imaging technologies, including its Fluorescence Agent Portfolio and its Fluorescence Molecular Tomography (FMT(TM)) Imaging Systems, provide robust fluorescence molecular imaging performance in identifying, characterizing and quantifying ranges of disease biomarkers and therapeutic efficacy in vivo. VisEn's FMT systems and agents are used by leading research institutions and pharmaceutical companies worldwide in applications including cancer research, inflammation, cardiovascular, skeletal and pulmonary disease. The Company also works with large pharmaceutical and clinical partners to design ranges of tailored molecular imaging agents and applications designed for their specific pre-clinical and clinical research areas.

Source: VisEn Medical

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