MILAN, Jan. 23, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Bracco Imaging S.p.A., a global leader in diagnostic imaging, announced today that it has initiated new experimental activities in its R&D Center in Geneva, Switzerland, to explore a new application for gas-filled microbubbles in the development of personalized gene therapy for treatment of chronic dysfunctional diseases related to lipid metabolism.

Microbubbles have already revolutionized medical imaging in the field of Contrast Enhanced Ultrasound (CEUS) - a high-sensitivity, non-invasive, real-time, cost-effective and radiation-free modality that improves the visualization and assessment of cardiac cavities, large vessels and tissue vascularity. As an established and robust tool for diagnostic imaging, microbubbles are now also considered a platform for therapeutic drug or gene delivery.

"Today's kick-off of new research activities provides an additional opportunity to exploit the microbubble platform and create an innovative therapeutic approach to addressing unmet medical needs," said Thierry Bettinger, PhD, Research Department Director at Bracco Suisse SA. "We consider the personalized gene therapy under evaluation as an opportunity to expand the use of the microbubble platform. We are looking for a large number of biomedical applications, and are confident that our technology can be used to address a wide range of healthcare challenges."
This research project is the result of an agreement that Bracco has recently signed with SonoGene LCC, an innovative start-up company focused on the development of novel platforms for therapeutic delivery of genes and pharmaceuticals using ultrasound-triggered, non-viral microbubble delivery systems. Furthermore, the research project envisages a very close cooperation with Steven Feinstein, MD - Professor of Medicine at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois, U.S., and Co-President of the International Contrast Ultrasound Society (ICUS) - who is considered one of the most influential experts in CEUS.

"SonoGene's early animal studies successfully showed that tiny microbubbles can deliver genes to a targeted organ system and produce a desired therapeutic effect," Dr. Feinstein said. He explained that the initial studies used microbubbles to transport genes to the liver in order to stimulate the body's production of natural, de novo HDL cholesterol - the "good cholesterol" that may protect against certain cardiovascular diseases. "SonoGene's gene therapy can ultimately harness the body's own biological mechanisms to provide a natural form of therapy," he added.

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