Bracco Imaging and SonoThera have entered into an agreement under which Bracco will provide its gas-filled microbubbles technology to SonoThera for use in developing a new ultrasound-guided nonviral gene therapy platform.
Bracco will grant SonoThera a nonexclusive license to use the microbubble technology for research purposes. The idea is that combining ultrasound energy with microbubbles allows for transient permeability of vessel walls and cell membranes for delivery of therapeutic nucleic acid payloads, according to the firm.
The agreement will allow SonoThera to explore facilitating the safe and effective delivery of genetic materials to target cells and organs, Bracco said.
