Theragnostic Technologies Receives Phase 1 SBIR Grant from National Institute of Health (NIH)
Funds will advance multi-functional imaging platform Mangradex and extend it for use for X-ray computed Tomography (CT) imaging
Stony Brook, NY. July 2, 2017
Theragnostic Technologies announced today that it has received an Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase 1 grant from National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)/ National Institutes of Health (NIH). The funds will be used to demonstrate the preclinical safety and efficacy of a novel carbon-nanostructure-based X-ray computer tomography (CT) contrast agent (CA) for imaging and monitoring in patients with renal failure or at risk of contrast induced nephropathy (CIN). Currently, iodine-based X-ray contrast media dominate the CT CA market for intravascular administration, accounting for the over 75 million or ~13% of the 600 million X-ray procedures worldwide annually.
“Routine contrast enhanced computed tomography (CT) has dramatically increased since it was first introduced in the 1970’s,” commented Dr. Jimmy Toussaint, the principal investigator on the project. “ It is now widely utilized as an important tool for preventative screening and aiding the clinician in diagnosis and detecting pathologies, both in adults and children. One downside of current state-of-art is the elevated risk (20-50%) for patients with abnormal kidney function, acquiring Contrast Induced Nephropathy (CIN- measured as a 25% increase in serum creatinine from baseline within 24-72 hours), when exposed to iodinated contrast agents (ICAs). These are the only CT CAs available on the market. In patients with pre-existing kidney deterioration, the impairment in kidney function may further worsen, resulting in long term dialysis or kidney transplant treatment options. As such, we have identified a clinical unmet need for a safer, more efficacious CT CA for use in this patient cohort”
“We are pleased and excited to receive this highly competitive grant,” said Balaji Sitharaman, President. “It’s an important step to further accelerate the development of a proprietary, highly differentiated nanoparticle CT probe that upon successful clinical translation provides physicians with an safer and more efficacious alternative for patients at risk for renal failure.”
About Theragnostic Technologies
Theragnostic Technologies. a pre-clinical stage biotech company that is leveraging its proprietary nano-based carrier platforms to develop solutions for diagnostic, therapeutic & regenerative medicine. Founded in 2012, it is a participant of StartUp NY, NIH Commercialization Accelerator Program (NIH-CAP), and situated at the Long Island High Technology Incubator on the campuses of Stony Brook University.