Vizamyl distribution to begin within a few months

The first markets for newly FDA-approved Vizamyl (F-18 flutemetamol), designated for ruling out Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, were announced during the annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology this week in Philadelphia, according to a statement from its producer, GE Healthcare.

Starting in the second quarter of 2014, Vizamyl will be available to imaging centers in proximity to Colton, Calif.; Phoenix; East Rutherford, N.J.; Woburn, Mass; Beltsville, Md., East Lansing, Mich.; and Dallas.

Vizamyl was approved in October and rounds out a triplicate of radiopharmaceuticals now available to aid in the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease by identifying key amyloid deposition in the brain. GE also announced the availability of an electronic reader training program for the interpretation of Vizamyl that is accessible online.

“The commercial availability of Vizamyl and rollout of the electronic training program represent our commitment to helping physicians deliver more accurate and timely assessments of patients with cognitive disorders,” GE director of PET Neurology Ben Newton said in the statement. “The ability to detect or exclude the presence of beta amyloid plaques in the brain may help physicians make more accurate assessments of patients with suspected cognitive disorders, including [Alzheimer's disease].”