The imaging compounds will be developed for diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and other disorders also associated with neuroinflammation such as multiple sclerosis.
Taisho Pharmaceutical, Nihon Nohyaku and the National Institute of Radiological Sciences jointly own patent rights for a compound class that may be applied for various non-invasive imaging technologies, such as positron emission tomography (PET) scanning.
Under the terms of the agreement Bayer Schering Pharma receives exclusive rights to develop and market the respective products for use with PET scanning technology.
“We are convinced that innovations in molecular imaging have the potential to fundamentally improve the diagnosis of neurodegenerative disorders, particularly Alzheimer’s disease,” said Dr Hans Maier, head of Business Unit Diagnostic Imaging at Bayer Schering Pharma.
“Bayer Schering Pharma is already pursuing the development of tracers targeting amyloid plaques, a hallmark of this disease. Imaging of neuroinflammation as another important pathology will excellently complement these activities.”