CHALFONT ST GILES, UK JUNE 5, 2006 - GE Healthcare, a division of the General Electric Company (NYSE:GE), announced today that it has initiated a first-in-man clinical study designed to validate information provided by a molecular imaging agent in evaluating the extent and nature of cancer. Specifically, this proprietary positron emission tomography (PET) agent has a biological mechanism to track the process of angiogenesis, the formation of new blood vessels in the body.

The body naturally forms new blood vessels during wound healing. However, angiogenesis is also necessary for the growth of many tumors beyond a certain size, as a cancerous tumor will recruit blood vessels in order to sustain accelerated growth.

A molecular imaging agent that binds to the process of angiogenesis in the body could help physicians identify the location and growth patterns of tumors. Imaging the angiogenic process at the molecular level could also enable researchers and clinicians to monitor the effectiveness of anti-angiogenic cancer drugs and patient response to drug therapy.


The trial, overseen by David Brooks, MD, chief medical officer at GE IMANET is currently enrolling subjects at the Hammersmith Hospital in London. This imaging agent will be used to quantify response to therapy by imaging Stage IV metastatic tumors of the breast before and after cycles of chemotherapy. "Angiogenesis is a characteristic process of many cancers, and we're excited to participate in this clinical trial, which may provide additional validation for the use of this novel molecular imaging agent in oncology applications," said Brooks. "Data from this program could establish a new measurement used to assess the effectiveness of treatment approaches in cancer."

Angiogenesis is one of the most promising areas of anti-cancer research, with more than $4 billion invested in the research and development of angiogenesis-based medicines, making this one of the most heavily funded areas of medical research in history. More than 60 anti-angiogenesis drugs are currently in clinical trials.

"Our vision is that one day clinicians will be able to detect the progression of cancers at an earlier stage, allowing rapid intervention, which can be monitored for effectiveness and adjusted quickly to compensate for any lack of response," says Don Black, head of research and development at GE Healthcare's Medical Diagnostics division. "We're using our unique capabilities in biology and engineering to develop imaging agents across all modalities that provide groundbreaking molecular diagnostic options. We're planning to utilize our synthesis platform for multi-site clinical trials and we're looking forward to collaborating with the pharmaceutical industry to enable more targeted therapies and better results for patients."

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