GE Healthcare reports positive data for imaging agent

GE Healthcare has reported positive data from studies of a new imaging agent that can be used in the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease.

Preliminary results from a pair of phase III trials of the investigational PET amyloid imaging agent flutemetamol have been published by GE Healthcare, with the compound meeting its primary efficacy endpoint in both cases.

In the first trial, a strong correlation between flutemetamol PET images and Alzheimer's disease-associated beta amyloid brain pathology was found among terminal patients, while the second showed results concordant with the known lack of brain amyloid in healthy subjects under 40.

Jonathan Allis, medical imaging PET segment leader for GE Healthcare Medical Diagnostics, said: "Flutemetamol may well prove to be a clinically valuable component of a broader diagnostic workup that neurologists use when assessing patients with cognitive impairments, who may have Alzheimer's disease."

Last month, the company announced the launch of LambdaFabSelect, a bioprocess affinity resin produced in collaboration with BAC.