POLYMERIC MICELLAR CONTRAST AGENTS FOR CT ANGIOGRAPHY

我们打算开发一种新技术，用于生产能够通过静脉注射给药的x射线计算机断层扫描（CT）血管造影的高效造影剂。这些试剂由两亲性生物相容性聚合物组成，能够在水溶液中形成亚微米颗粒（胶束）。疏水x射线致密含碘块形成颗粒的核心，其周围是亲水聚合物链，保护核心免受与活化血浆蛋白的相互作用，并提供比目前可用的血管造影剂更长的循环时间。使用聚合物胶束作为诊断介质将导致位于包括脉管系统在内的几个不同器官的病变的检测和表征的改进。我们计划通过改变胶束囊泡的表面特性来减少患者的碘负荷和进行检查所需的时间。这最终将导致新一代造影剂的开发，这些造影剂对患者更安全（副作用更少），对放射科医生更方便，生产成本更低，因此更具成本效益。建议的商业应用：作为x线CT造影剂的长循环胶束剂在诊断方面有潜在的应用价值，如缺血性疾病（心肌或脑灌注缺陷）、血管疾病和内皮通透性疾病（糖尿病患者、肿瘤等）的诊断或随访。鉴别一种造影剂，与目前的不透明放射药物相比，它降低了健康风险，并允许对血管系统进行无创、敏感的描绘，这是一个重要的诊断和商业机会。

We intend to develop a new technology for producing efficient contrast imaging agents for x-ray computed tomography (CT) angiography capable of being administered by intravenous injection. These agents consist of amphiphilic biocompatible polymers, able to form submicron particles (micelles) in aqueous solutions. The hydrophobic x-ray dense iodine- containing blocks form the core of the particle, which is surrounded with hydrophilic polymer chains protecting the core from interaction with opsonizing plasma proteins and providing longer circulation times than currently available vascular contrast agents. Use of polymeric micelles as a diagnostic media would result in an improvement in the detection and characterization of lesions located in several different organs including the vasculature system. We plan to reduce both the iodine load to the patient and the time necessary to perform the examination by modifying surface properties of the micelle vesicles. This eventually will lead to the development of a new generation of contrast agents which will be safer for the patient (fewer side effects), more convenient for the radiologist, less expensive to produce, and therefore, more cost-effective. PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS: Long-circulating micellar agents as contrast media for x-ray CT is potentially useful for diagnostic applications such as ischemic diseases (myocardial or cerebral perfusion defects), vascular diseases and diagnostic or follow-up of endothelial permeability disorders (diabetic patients, tumors, etc.). Identification of a contrast agent that has reduced health risks compared to current radio-opaque drugs and which allows for noninvasive, sensitive, delineation of the vascular system constitutes a significant diagnostic and commercial opportunity.