Imanet

A New Era of Predictive Imaging Solutions for the Drugs of the Future

Networked Imaging Research

In February 2001, Amersham plc announced the formation of an international network of leading imaging research centres called Imanet™, (www.imanet.com) to provide pharmaceutical companies with imaging solutions to accelerate and facilitate development of novel therapeutics. Imanet is built principally around Positron Emission Tomography (PET), a powerful, quantitative imaging technology which provides information on biochemical and physiological processes and drug-receptor interactions at a molecular level. It also incorporates GE Healthcare's Spin Signal™ imaging system, which is based on a powerful, MRI technology allowing high-resolution, high-speed imaging of body cavities such as the lungs.

Imanet brings together an exceptional combination of Amersham's world reputation in imaging, GE Healthcare's professional understanding of the needs of Pharma in meeting regulatory and business requirements, PET research in centres of proven excellence, plus GE Healthcare's Spin Signal system.

In PET Centres, Imanet today comprises Hammersmith Imanet Limited (formerly Imaging Research Solutions Limited, formerly the MRC Hammersmith Cyclotron Unit, London) UK; www.irsl.org, Uppsala Imanet AB (formerly Uppsala Research Imaging Solutions AB, formerly Uppsala University PET Centre, Sweden) and, most recently, Turku Imanet Oy (formerly Turku Research Imaging Solutions). More sites of similar international standing will be added to the network in the future. Imanet also has dedicated research sites in both North Carolina, USA and Malmø, Sweden, incorporating the Spin Signal imaging system.

Imanet and Industry

Imanet centres are staffed with scientists who have a wide experience of working with the pharmaceutical industry and who recognise the value of sophisticated imaging technology to provide an objective assessment of drug candidates and accelerated decision making. Our PET centres have a world reputation in pioneering imaging technology and today collaborate with over 20 leading companies at all stages of their drug development programmes. Together with GE Healthcare's expertise in managing and developing these imaging technologies for the marketplace our Imanet centres provide a world-beating combination of predictive imaging solutions.

Demonstration of the use of PET in quantifying dose occupancy thereby facilitating dose selection in early phase clinical development studies
Ref: CJ Bench et al. Psychopharmacology, 1993, 112:308-314 (by kind permission of Prof. P Grasby)

The Imanet Service

Key components of the Imanet service offering are:

Confidentiality
Advice and assistance on study design
Project management and expert advice on interpretation of imaging data
Exceptional capabilities for multi-centre studies
Ability to assign phases of studies to locations where expertise is greatest and regulatory limitations are avoided
Availability of a large bank of PET tracers
Rapid response to study requests
Rapid and reliable delivery of results
Full compliance with Pharma industry standards

For more information on Imanet, please contact: enquiries@imanet.com

Contact us

If you are interested in partnering with GE Healthcare please fill in the submission form located on the GE submitting ideas and inventions web site.

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