Biotage open up new business area – Molecular Imaging

Molecular Imaging is an emerging market that is playing an important role to the ongoing worldwide efforts at improving health care and cost saving in the Pharma Industry. Biotage entered into a Molecular Imaging collaboration with McMaster University in February 2007 and it has ever since become more and more apparent that Biotage is significantly well positioned to become an important player within this industry. Biotage has decided to establish itself in Molecular Imaging to leverage on and take full advantage of its product offerings in this challenging new business area.

SPECT/CT and PET/CT are two Imaging modalities that are growing significantly. The processes used are technologically well aligned to Biotage’s core competences, synthesis, purification and evaporation.

The basic process requires the incorporation of minute amounts of short half life radio labeled compounds (“tracers” or “imaging agents”) into live subjects. Many of these tracers have to be synthesized. The faster they are produced, the more value can be ascribed to the outcome. Some in fact can only be synthesized using microwave heating, a field of expertise where Biotage has a long and successful history.

SPECT/CT tracers are frequently used in a rather crude form and most are not subject to any form of post preparation purification. Biotage is well positioned to provide an interesting value proposition by leveraging on existing SPE purification platforms to provide optimal tracer performance.

The recently launched rapid solvent evaporating system V-10, will be subject to further development and it is believed it will play a significant role in the production of imaging agents.

“Imaging is an intriguing challenge for Biotage. Biotage is uniquely positioned to exploit these market segments. We see very interesting collaboration possibilities in this field that will help to drive further development of Biotage’s business.” says Kelvin Hammond, Biotage’s VP of Business Development.

“We believe that we can have a bit of jump start when entering into the Imaging business. Some of the instruments in our current product line may with little development efforts be adjusted for use in Imaging. Imaging is believed to be of great importance not just in the growing diagnostics market but also in pharma’s drug discovery processes. The expectation is that our early efforts to provide consumables and instruments to this “Pull Market” will accelerate the growth of Biotage significantly.” says Torben Jørgensen, President and CEO of Biotage.