Novel Imaging Agent to Detect Multidrug Resistance in Tumors Using Multimodality Imaging

Multidrug resistance (MDR) can develop during chemotherapy to desensitize tumors to a variety of structurally and functionally different chemotherapeutic agents and is linked to the expression of ATP drug efflux transporters such as MDR1 P-glycoporin and MRP. MDR can be detected in vitro with molecular and functional assays, however clinically, it is necessary to monitor tumor MDR status during the course of therapy but this normally involves multiple invasive biopsy procedures. In vivo nuclear imaging is a technique that eliminates the need for biopsy but current imaging molecules and imaging modalities suffer from reduced imaging performance for various reasons. Researchers at JHU have overcome the prior limitations of molecular imaging by using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which possesses high spatial resolution with no radiation exposure, using a novel targeted contrast agent. The scientists generated quantitative MRI measurements that provided sufficient sensitivity for the non-invasive detection of the agent in cancer cells. Description (Set) Proposed Use (Set) Multi-drug resistance in cancer is a widely recognized problem that requires novel detection techniques. The contrast agent invented by Johns Hopkins researchers can provide non-invasive imaging of emerging MDR and is of utmost importance in predicting effective anticancer chemotherapy.

Inventor(s): Artemov, Dmitri

Type of Offer: Licensing



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