Covidien, New South Wales Collaborate on Development of Novel Imaging Agent

October 11, 2007 — NewSouth Innovations Pty Ltd, the technology transfer arm of University of New South Wales (UNSW), and Covidien Ltd. recently announced the signing of a license agreement to develop an innovative, radiolabeled molecular imaging agent for evaluating the efficacy of cancer treatments to assist oncologists in determining the effectiveness of treatment and the necessity for other therapeutic measures.
Under the agreement, Covidien Imaging Solutions has product development and commercialization rights for this apoptosis technology, which was invented by Professor Philip Hogg, who is a co-director of the Lowy Cancer Research Centre. The family of small molecules developed by Professor Hogg is designed to bind to cancer cells undergoing apoptosis, or the process of cell death, as a result of chemotherapy treatment. This early-stage apoptosis detection technology could take many years to develop, but it has the potential for broad application across a wide array of solid tumor cancers.
For more information: www.covidien.com