|
Ci-Co Healthcare, Korea and Piramal Imaging, a division of Piramal Enterprises, Ltd., have entered into a strategic partnership and exclusive licensing agreement whereby Ci-Co Healthcare will obtain market authorisation from the Korean Health Authorities and commercialise the PET amyloid imaging agent, florbetaben F18, in South Korea. Ci-Co Healthcare has assigned the manufacturing and supply of florbetaben F18 to DuChemBio, a market leading radiopharmacy network in Korea.
Florbetaben F18 is an investigational PET amyloid imaging agent currently under review by the US Food and Drug Administration and the European Medicines Agency.
According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, nearly one in every ten or 541,000 senior citizens in Korea suffer from Alzheimer’s disease, a condition that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills. This number was up 8.74 per cent in 2010, and if the trend continues is expected to surpassone million in 2024.
Beta-amyloid neuritic plaques in the brain, which researchers believe to be important biomarkers for early detection of Alzheimer’s disease, are clumps of sticky, microscopic protein that build up in the space around nerve cells. Piramal Imaging’s PET amyloid agent florbetaben F18 is an injectable drug that in conjunction with PET/CT or MRI/PET scanners identifies beta-amyloid plaques in the human brain.
“Piramal Imaging is committed to building a global presence in nuclear medicineand making florbetaben F18 available to patients around the world. Ci-Co Healthcare shares Piramal Imaging’s dedication and we look forward to a strong partnership that will allow both companies to achieve its goals,” said Dr Ludger Dinkelborg, member of the Board, Piramal Imaging SA.
Piramal Enterprises is one of India’s largest diversified companies, with a presence in pharmaceuticals, financial services and healthcare information management sectors.
|