NORRISTOWN, Pa., Oct. 29, 2019 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Following on the October 25, 2019 announcement that it would be offering for sale its inventory of the breakthrough N1177 nanoparticulate contrast agent, NanoScan Imaging LLC ("NanoScan") released additional details about the compound and its potential in oncology diagnostics.
Subcutaneous Injectable N1177, an injectable emulsion made of iodinated nanoparticles, accumulates in macrophages associated with non-cancerous lymph node tissue but not cancerous tissue. N1177, when used in this manner as a CT imaging agent, differentiates cancerous nodes from healthy nodes regardless of node size. The metastasis, when viewed by diagnosticians, appears as a "cookie bite."
Lymph node imaging plays a critical role in staging patients with various metastatic cancers. The current problem: conventional contrast agents, while helpful in evaluating anatomic features, are not able to distinguish between lymph nodes enlarged due to inflammation and lymph nodes enlarged because they harbor cancer cells, nor can they identify lymph nodes haroboring cancer cells that may not be enlarged. Currently, if a lymph node is determined to be greater than ten millimeters in diameter, the lymph node is biopsied or surgically removed to establish its true status.
Mark Carvlin, Ph.D., CEO of NanoScan, explained the potential benefits of N1177's imaging efficacy, "N1177's ability to identify lymph nodes that may be harboring cancer cells will help physicians more accurately evaluate the extent and severity of an individual patient's disease, resulting in more appropriate treatment, better outcomes and reduced healthcare system costs."
Dr. Carvlin explained that N1177 may also be administered intravenously. In preclinical trials N1177 proved effective in identifying both primary and secondary (metastases) tumors because the nanoparticles are taken up and retained by macrophages associated with certain cancers. Dr. Carvlin noted "What we have with N1177 is the classic one-two punch for cancers., The subcutaneous formulation offers benefits in staging and treatment planning while the intravenous formulation can be used to characterize how an individual patient's tumors respond to that treatment."
RENAL SAFETY: In addition to imaging efficacy, N1177 offers significant safety advantages over conventional CT and certain gadolinium based contrast agents for MRI. Chief among them is lowered risk of renal toxicity. 96% of doctors surveyed said they are "likely" or "very likely" to switch from their current contrast agent to an agent with decreased potential for renal toxicity. In fact, renal toxicity was not observed in any preclinical or clinical studies conducted with N1177.
SALES PROCESS: As announced previously, NanoScan will be selling its inventory of N1177 iodinated nanoparticulate, plus various intellectual property and know-how assets, in a sealed bid sales process managed by Chris Finn, Principal of the advisory firm Alternotio. The sale will take place on December 17, 2019, at noon EST. Parties interested in purchasing any or all of the assets must sign a confidentiality agreement, which can be obtained by contacting Chris Finn at [email protected] or +1 (978) 882 - 2586. Negotiated offers are welcome, but any negotiated sale must be concluded prior to opening bids and must conform to the terms set forth for sealed bids.
ABOUT NANOSCAN IMAGING LLC. NanoScan was founded to acquire N1177 from prior corporate owners (including Kodak/Sterling-Winthrop and Nycomed-Amersham) and to continue its development.
ABOUT ALTERNATIO. Alternotio specializes in the sale of non-lead and distressed intellectual property. Alternotio occasionally works with unique tangible assets that have a substantial intellectual property component. Additional non confidential information on these assets can be found at: http://www.alternotio.com
This release was prepared exclusively for the purpose of considering the transaction contemplated herein. This announcement is not an offer, solicitation, commitment or recommendation to buy or sell a security and does not purport to be a complete statement of all material facts. No representations are made as to the accuracy of such statements or projections.
SOURCE NanoScan Imaging LLC
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