EVP-ABD Enhanced MRI for Evaluation Liver Disease

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Project Summary/Abstract: Hepatitis deriving from viral infection and chemical, drug or alcohol toxicity is placing a growing burden on the health care system. While initial diagnosis of hepatitis may rely on medical history, Liver Function Tests (LFT), Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) results, etc.; confirmation, characterization (grading and staging) and follow-up of hepatitis relies on liver biopsy as the gold standard despite significant morbidity and a small but definite risk of mortality associated with the procedure. A non-invasive test that would provide a reliable measure of the nature and magnitude of diffuse liver disease, correlating to histology and thereby reducing the dependence on periodic biopsies would meet a major unmet need. Eagle Vision Pharmaceutical Corp (EAGLE) is developing EVP-ABD, an intracellular manganese based Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) contrast agent, with unique magnetic and kinetic properties. The potential for correlation between the energy dependent intracellular uptake of EVP-ABD (assessed noninvasively by MRI imaging) and liver function (assessed by histology) will be evaluated in this study. Project Narrative: The long term goal of the research is to register and commercialize EVP-ABD in the US and elsewhere as a contrast agent for diagnosis, characterization and assessing effectiveness of treatment of diffuse liver disease. If successful, EVP-ABD should reduce the dependence on serial liver biopsies by providing a noninvasive assessment of diffuse liver disease, and thus reduce the morbidity associated with the procedure.