A Macromolecular Carrier for Medical Imaging and Diagnostics

Technology Description

A UCSD researcher has developed a new macromolecular carrier having hundreds of leashes for readily attaching imaging agents and substrates. The attached substrate directs the carrier to specific tissues so that the attached imaging agent can affect its function in a tissue specific manner. When suitably derivatized, the carrier can be used in a tissue-specific manner for magnetic resonance imaging, computer tomographic imaging or scintigraphic imaging. This technology has been shown to exhibit excellent tissue-specific delivery of payload as demonstrated in animals and humans, is inexpensive to manufacture, and is non-toxic to humans. It has also been shown in animal tests to be a CT blood pool contrast agent with long intra-vascular dwell time.

The patent - US 6,409,990 - is available for licensing for use in certain tissue types and imaging methods.

Patent Status