Schering, Avid to develop early diagnostic imaging approach for Alzheimer's disease

By E. Janene Geiss

Philadelphia, July 14 - Schering AG said Friday that it will collaborate with Avid Radiopharmaceuticals Inc. to develop novel diagnostic imaging agents for Alzheimer's disease.

The current lack of clinical methods for definitive diagnosis remains a significant impediment for the management of Alzheimer's patients as well as for the development of new therapies for this devastating condition, according to a company news release.

The compounds made by Avid directly bind to the amyloid plaques in the brain thought to cause Alzheimer's disease. They can be used with a variety of common, non-invasive imaging technologies such as positron emission tomography (PET) scanning, officials said.

The potential of this compound class to accumulate preferentially in brain structures of Alzheimer's patients with high amyloid beta load has already been demonstrated in pilot human studies.

Under the agreement, Schering said it will have the option to assume exclusive rights for the development and commercialization of such compounds for use with PET scanning technology.

"With this novel approach we could be amongst the first to offer a method for early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease using objective physical measures," Hans Maier, head of Schering's diagnostic imaging unit, said in the release.

Alzheimer's disease affects an estimated 4.5 million people in the United States alone. That number has doubled since 1980 and is expected to exceed 12 million people by 2050 as the U.S. population ages.

Avid is a Philadelphia, Pa., molecular imaging company.

Schering is a Berlin, Germany, pharmaceutical company.

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