#United States #Boston #Life Molecular Imaging #Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation #PET imaging

Life Molecular Imaging Secures Significant Funding

Life Molecular Imaging (LMI), a prominent player in the radiopharmaceutical sector, has secured a vital investment from the Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF) amounting to $2.16 million. This funding, set to span three years, aims to advance critical research in the area of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The primary focus of this project is to enhance the development of [18F]F-DED, an investigational PET imaging agent specifically designed to target monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B) - an enzyme associated with neuroinflammation.

Collaboration with Leading Institutions

This ambitious research endeavor is a collaborative effort involving leading institutions, including the University Hospital of Ludwig-Maximilian University in Munich, Germany, and the Barcelona Beta Brain Research Center (BBRC) in Spain. This partnership unites experts from various fields—neurology, nuclear medicine, psychiatry, stroke, and dementia research—to explore the complexities surrounding Alzheimer's disease.

The use of [18F]F-DED PET imaging technology in this project is expected to shed light on the pathophysiology of both sporadic and genetically predisposed Alzheimer's patients. One of its key objectives is to better understand how neuroinflammation contributes to the early and late stages of the disease, a significant gap that has challenged researchers until now.

Overcoming Previous Challenges

One of the longstanding challenges related to PET imaging of neuroinflammation has been genetic polymorphisms affecting ligand binding. This has often resulted in inconsistent findings across studies. With the new ADDF funding support, experts like Andrew Stephens, Chief Medical Officer at LMI, view this as a golden opportunity to investigate the spatial and temporal dynamics of neuroinflammation in relation to existing biomarkers.

Stephens articulated the potential that neuroinflammation could be a significant driver for the spread of tau pathology in Alzheimer's disease. By leveraging cutting-edge PET imaging technology to investigate this relationship, researchers aim to deepen their understanding of how the disease progresses over time.

Insights from Key Researchers

Matthias Brendel, Professor for Nuclear Medicine at LMU, echoed these sentiments, stating that, “Leveraging PET imaging to explore the role of neuroinflammation presents a unique opportunity to deepen our understanding of disease progression.” Meanwhile, Gemma Salvadó Blasco, Group Leader of Neuroimaging Research at BBRC, expressed her excitement about the collaborative potential, saying, “By combining data from diverse Alzheimer's disease cohorts, we aim to unravel the complexities of disease progression. We're thrilled to embark on this exciting journey.”

Howard Fillit, MD, Co-Founder and Chief Science Officer of the ADDF, emphasized the significance of PET-imaging tools in understanding Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative disorders. He noted, “New imaging tools exploring neuroinflammation may offer a non-invasive means to visualize astrocyte activity alongside established biomarkers. If successful, this innovative approach will help deepen our understanding of the underlying disease.”

Importance of Neuroinflammation

Neuroinflammation has emerged as a crucial pathological mechanism in various neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's, movement disorders, and multiple sclerosis. In the context of the brain, this inflammation is often mediated by reactive astrocytes, which are known to exhibit increased activity of the enzyme MAO-B. The PET tracer [18F]F-DED is designed to preferentially bind to areas with elevated MAO-B activity, showcasing its potential utility in research and clinical practice.

About Life Molecular Imaging and ADDF

Life Molecular Imaging is dedicated to pioneering innovative PET radiopharmaceuticals specifically for imaging neurodegenerative and cardiovascular diseases. Their mission focuses on enhancing early detection and treatment outcomes for serious clinical conditions. As a leading radiopharmaceutical firm, LMI is committed to advancing its research and clinical offerings worldwide.

The Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation, founded in 1998, is a leading public charity exclusively dedicated to expediting drug development to combat Alzheimer’s. With a unique venture philanthropy model, it collaborates extensively in academia and the biotech industry, providing crucial support for drug discovery initiatives.

In summary, this funding marks a significant milestone in the quest to understand Alzheimer’s disease better, potentially leading to more effective interventions and improved patient outcomes in the future. This collaborative research initiative exemplifies the urgent need for innovative solutions in addressing the challenges posed by neurodegenerative diseases.