Philips Medical, ImaRx Therapeutics partner for ischemic stroke treatment

ImaRx Therapeutics and Philips Medical Systems have announced a research collaboration to evaluate Philips ultrasound technology as part of ImaRx’s SonoLysis program to develop new treatment for acute ischemic stroke.

The objective of the partnership is to determine the optimal ultrasound parameters to use with ImaRx’s MRX-801 microbubble technology. Under the agreement, Philips will provide ultrasound devices and technical assistance to the Tucson, Ariz.-based ImaRx during laboratory and preclinical studies.

Stroke is currently the third leading cause of death and the leading cause of disability in the United States, according to the American Stroke Association. The vast majority of strokes, approximately 87 percent, are ischemic strokes, or strokes caused by blood clots that block normal blood flow in the vessels of the brain.

Additionally, less than 6 percent of these ischemic stroke patients receive the thrombolytic drug tPA, the only drug currently approved by the FDA to treat acute ischemic stroke, according to Datamonitor, a market research firm.  

The agreement includes a mutual exclusivity clause that states upon completion of the research program, the two companies will have an exclusive negotiation period to discuss future development and commercialization, according to Philips Medical.

Around the web

RBMA President Peter Moffatt discusses some of the biggest obstacles facing the specialty in the new year. 

Deepak Bhatt, MD, director of the Mount Sinai Fuster Heart Hospital and principal investigator of the TRANSFORM trial, explains an emerging technique for cardiac screening: combining coronary CT angiography with artificial intelligence for plaque analysis to create an approach similar to mammography.

A total of 16 cardiology practices from 12 states settled with the DOJ to resolve allegations they overbilled Medicare for imaging agents used to diagnose cardiovascular disease.