dismiss

Webinar : L'évolution du service de l'équipement /Apprenez plus/registre

Other Headlines

Leading job search engine provides notable data.
The American College of Radiology announced it will be among the first to apply for authority to accredit freestanding diagnostic imaging centers as required by new CMS rules.
Future-focused performance management system prepares hospital leaders for the changing health care environment.
Workgroup advises the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC).
Honor bestowed at the 28th International Congress on Applications of Lasers and Electro-Optics (ICALEO®).

Have News for Us?

Submit your news on the industry, people, or companies.

Forward to a Friend

More People & Company Headlines

Chairman Rockefeller Sends Open Letter to CIGNA on Insurance Practices Letter critical of industry medical loss ratio information.

ASTRO: Hologic MammoSite Radiation Therapy Keeps Cancer From Recurring Breast cancer patients treated with Hologic's MammoSite radiation therapy system experienced less than a 4% rate of recurring cancer after five years.

TriMedx to Join Pre-RSNA Webinar on Equipment Service -- You're Invited to Attend "The Evolution of Equipment Service: How to Navigate Through Tough Financial Times" will be hosted by DOTmed on Nov. 18th. Sponsored by ReMedPar.

This Month in Medical History: Facing the World Again A face transplant transformed surgery in November 2005.

MEDICA 2009 Preview The 41st World Forum for Medicine International Trade Fair with Congress will be held November 18-21, 2009 in Dusseldorf, Germany.

Stryker Biotech and Management Charged With Fraudulent Marketing Scheme Company accused of promoting unauthorized mixture of OP-1 and Calstrux for invasive surgeries.

Merck and Schering-Plough Merge Second recent blockbuster pharma fuse.

Focus on Performance: What to Do About Regulation? A columnist weighs in from DOTmed Business News.

Recall: Cordis CROSSOVER Sheath Introducer Attention: Interventional radiological healthcare professionals, hospital risk managers.

Leasing as the Bridge over Troubled Waters Credit crunch leads to looking at leasing options for practices.

Luna Innovations is working
on an MR contrast agent

Luna Innovations Receives Funding for Brain Cancer Diagnostic Agent Using Nanotechnology

by Barbara Kram, Editor
ROANOKE, VA -- Luna Innovations Incorporated (NASDAQ: LUNA) announces an award from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to improve the detection and diagnosis of brain tumors. Under this program, Luna will adapt its exclusive contrast agent technology using carbon nanospheres to produce an improved magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) agent. This next-generation contrast agent will be designed to enhance tumor imaging and advance the diagnosis and treatment of this disease by directing nanomolecules to seek out specific biological targets, such as a glioblastoma tumor, one specific form of brain cancer.

MRI is critical for the diagnosis and evaluation of many forms of brain and other cancers. "Primary malignant brain tumors cause 13,000 deaths in the United States annually and survival rates following therapeutic intervention are among the lowest compared to other cancers," stated Robert Lenk, President of Luna's nanoWorks division. "The work we are doing with NIH allows us the opportunity to build on our existing contrast agent platform of carbon nanomedicines and ultimately improve the detection and diagnosis of these high risk brain tumors."

Luna's imaging technology can be modified to direct it to accumulate at specific targets. Luna's MRI contrast agent prototype is based on a modification of its TRIMETASPHERE® carbon nanomaterial known as the HYDROCHALARONE™, which has shown promise to significantly enhance relaxivity, a property that provides for better imaging; is extremely stable; is water soluble; and has the potential to be modified to clear from the bloodstream quickly or slowly, depending on the specific application. "Luna's Hydrochalarone technology platform can be modified to produce targeted contrast agents, which selectively highlight the tumor cells. Our hope is that our novel approach will provide better resolution to radiologists, who in turn, will improve patient outcomes," said Kent Murphy, Chairman and CEO of Luna Innovations Incorporated.

Last November, Luna announced its first grant with the NIH using this carbon nanotechnology platform to improve the identification of coronary artery disease. Under this program, Luna proposed to develop a diagnostic agent that would allow the use of MRI, potentially providing a noninvasive measure to evaluate plaque in the arteries without the use of ionizing radiation and catheters.

Luna's contrast agent prototype is currently in preclinical studies at the NCI's Nanotechnology Characterization Laboratory. The outcome of this characterization study is the report necessary for an Investigational New Drug application.
ShareThis

About Luna Innovations:

Luna Innovations Incorporated (www.lunainnovations.com) develops and manufactures new-generation products for the healthcare, telecommunications, energy and defense markets. Through its disciplined commercialization business model, Luna has become a recognized leader in transitioning science to solutions. Luna is headquartered in Roanoke, Virginia.

Luna's nanoWorks division (www.lunananoworks.com), located in Danville, Virginia, is developing pharmaceutical products empowered by nanomaterials with applications in diagnostics and therapeutics. Luna's exclusive carbon nanomaterials offer unique physical, chemical, thermal, magnetic, biological, optical and electronic properties that can be tailored to customer needs.

Interested in Medical Industry News? Subscribe to DOTmed's weekly news email and always be informed. Click here, it takes just 30 seconds.

Please Send us your Comments.

Printable Story
Access and use of this site is subject to the terms and conditions of our LEGAL NOTICE & PRIVACY NOTICE
Property of and Proprietary to DOTmed.com, Inc. Copyright ©2001-2009 DOTmed.com, Inc.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED