SBIR Phase I: Biocompatible tracers optimized for Magnetic Particle Imaging

SBIR 第一阶段：针对磁粒子成像优化的生物相容性示踪剂

• 批准号: 1215556
• 负责人: Richard Matthew Ferguson
• 金额: $ 15万
• 依托单位: LodeSpin Labs
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2012
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2012-07-01 至 2013-06-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1215556&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: SBIR; Phase; Biocompatible; tracers; optimized

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project addresses a fundamental problem with Magnetic Particle Imaging, a promising, yet new imaging modality. MPI uses magnetic nanoparticles (tracers) to generate a signal that can be used for fast, safe, non-invasive 3D imaging in living patients. The problem relates to the magnetic tracers: there are no existing commercial tracers that are suitable for MPI, due partly to a fundamental lack of control over the physical and magnetic properties of tracers when using existing methods of production. We have addressed this problem by identifying the desired tracer properties for any MPI imaging system and developing a method to produce particles with controlled/tailored properties. The proposed research is designed to further improve the performance of our product, both to fine-tune its physical characteristics and improve its stability in a biological environment. We will improve the stability and performance of our tracer agent by developing a new process for encapsulating the magnetic particles with a biocompatible shell. We will also further improve the performance by developing a novel filtering system to isolate desirable tracers based specifically on their suitability for MPI, as determined by their magnetic relaxation.The broader impact/commercial potential of this proposed project is an enabling technology for MPI. The goal is to develop a high performance solution that can make clinical MPI commercially viable. MPI using safe iron oxide tracers could reduce patient morbidity during the course of treatment for cardiovascular disease, where current imaging methods like x-ray angiography rely heavily on the use of iodinated contrast media even though they may cause nephrogenic systemic fibrosis in patients, especially those with chronic kidney disease. MPI with targeted tracer probes, also offers significant promise for cancer diagnosis and therapy, with outstanding signal to noise ratio and almost perfect contrast (tissue is diamagnetic and generates no signal in MPI). Finally, the projected commercial impact of MPI is significant: billions of dollars are spent on medical imaging tracers each year, with iodine the most commonly used tracer. Ultimately, MPI, which would circumvent a known hazard in iodine contrast agents, has the potential to generate billions in tracer sales.

这个小企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段项目解决了磁性粒子成像的基本问题，这是一种有前途的新成像方式。MPI使用磁性纳米粒子（示踪剂）来产生信号，可用于活体患者的快速，安全，非侵入性3D成像。问题与磁性示踪剂有关：目前没有适用于MPI的商业示踪剂，部分原因是在使用现有生产方法时根本无法控制示踪剂的物理和磁性。我们已经解决了这个问题，通过确定任何MPI成像系统所需的示踪剂的属性，并开发一种方法来产生粒子的控制/定制的属性。拟议的研究旨在进一步提高我们产品的性能，既微调其物理特性，又提高其在生物环境中的稳定性。我们将通过开发一种用生物相容性外壳包裹磁性颗粒的新工艺来提高我们的示踪剂的稳定性和性能。我们还将通过开发一种新型的过滤系统来进一步提高性能，以根据其对MPI的适用性来分离所需的示踪剂，这是由其磁弛豫决定的。我们的目标是开发一种高性能解决方案，使临床MPI具有商业可行性。使用安全氧化铁示踪剂的MPI可以降低心血管疾病治疗过程中的患者发病率，其中当前的成像方法如X射线血管造影术严重依赖于碘化造影剂的使用，即使它们可能导致患者（尤其是慢性肾病患者）的肾源性全身纤维化。带有靶向示踪剂探针的MPI还为癌症诊断和治疗提供了重要的前景，具有出色的信噪比和几乎完美的对比度（组织是抗磁性的，在MPI中不产生信号）。最后，MPI的预期商业影响是显著的：每年在医学成像示踪剂上花费数十亿美元，碘是最常用的示踪剂。最终，MPI将规避碘造影剂的已知危害，有可能产生数十亿美元的示踪剂销售。