Siemens and M.D. Anderson Cancer Center Collaborate in the Development of Molecular Biomarkers

Siemens Medical Solutions (Erlangen, Germany) has expanded its molecular imaging research collaboration with The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center (Houston, USA) with the establishment of a preclinical research center dedicated to the development of new, targeted biomarkers that may help detect cancers earlier, better visualize cancers at the molecular level, and provide more effective, customized therapies.

The center will be located on the M.D. Anderson campus in Houston at the same site as the cyclotron-equipped radiopharmacy jointly operated by M.D. Anderson and Petnet Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Siemens Medical Solutions. Researchers from Siemens and M.D. Anderson will work together at the center to develop innovative radiolabeled imaging agents that visualize molecular-genetic targets, facilitating the translation of laboratory findings into clinical imaging applications and helping researchers study the effects of new drugs and other cancer treatments. As part of the agreement, researchers at M.D. Anderson will perform preclinical testing of Siemens' proprietary and licensed compounds, as well as participate in Siemens' clinical trials. Siemens will have certain rights to license imaging agents developed through the research.

As part of the collaboration at M.D. Anderson, Siemens is providing research scientists and radiochemical equipment dedicated to preclinical imaging for the laboratory, including Siemens' Inveon platform, a multimodality imaging solution that allows researchers to utilize a combination of preclinical hybrid imaging systems and preclinical analysis applications. The system enables positron emission tomography (PET), single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), and CT data acquisition to be done separately or simultaneously.


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M.D. Anderson Cancer Center