Meilleur Technologies and Young Blood Institute to Study PET Amyloid Plaque Imaging Agent

Meilleur Technologies, Inc. announced a research collaboration agreement with the Young Blood Institute (YBI) on the use of Meilleur’s [F-18]NAV-4694, an investigational imaging agent, in PET scans to assess the status of amyloid plaque in the brain. Amyloid plaques are a hallmark of several neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s Disease (AD).

The collaboration is focused on using [F-18]NAV-4694 as an imaging biomarker in the YBI AmβARI (Amyloid βeta Assessment & Removal Intervention) study. The Young Blood Institute will utilize Meilleur’s [F-18]NAV-4694 tracer to aid YBI’s study of early detection and clearance of Amyloid βeta to prevent Alzheimer’s disease using Therapeutic Plasma Exchange. Colin Masters, MD, Professor of Dementia Research at the Florey Institute and the University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia, will lead the study as YBI Principal Investigator.

According to Dr Masters, “There are multiple tracers for PET scanning available at the moment, and I insisted that we get the scientifically preferred tracer for this clinical study so that the trials we’re planning will provide the strongest clinical evidence of how significantly plasma exchange shifts the PET signal.”

Mark Urdahl, President & CEO of the Young Blood Institute, added, “While we plan to use the latest mass spec Aβ blood tests to screen subjects for potential Amyloid βeta accumulations in the brain, PET scanning remains the primary modality for confirmation of diagnosis. And NAV4694 provides the highest signal strength of any of the F-18 tracers.”

“Meilleur is focused on enabling acceleration of technologies that have the potential to advance the fight against debilitating neurodegenerative diseases,” said Rick Hiatt, Chief Exécutive Officier, Meilleur Technologies, Inc. “We believe NAV4694 has unique properties that will prove useful in developing current and future therapeutic agents in neurodegenerative disease and are excited to add YBI to our growing network of pharmaceutical and academic partners, leveraging our globally validated production sites. Our goal is to expand the availability of this novel investigational imaging agent to the broader scientific community.”