The European Institute for Biomedical Imaging Research (EIBIR) has kicked off its AlternativesToGD initiative, which is designed to develop a class of gadolinium-free contrast agents for MRI.
The agents would consist of small endogenous molecules, which will be hyperpolarized to ensure high sensitivities at very low doses and would completely wash out by the human body promptly after injection and imaging. Because agents rapidly decay when in a hyperpolarized state, AlternativesToGd participants will focus on three hyperpolarization techniques and agents that hold their hyperpolarization states long enough to complete contrast-enhanced MRI scans and achieve diagnostic sensitivity, according to EIBIR.
Compounds and technologies developed by the project will be tested in animal models of disease with the most promising results advancing for further clinical development, the institute stated.
The project is scheduled to run for 36 months.
