Schering AG enters AD diagnostics deal with Avid

Germany's Schering AG says it will collaborate with the USA's Avid Radiopharmaceuticals to develop novel imaging agents for the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease. The current lack of clinical methods for definitive diagnosis remains a significant impediment for the management of AD patients, as well as for the development of new therapies, noted Schering, which is being acquired by Bayer (Marketletters passim).

Under the terms of the deal, the Berlin-headquartered firm will have the option to assume exclusive rights for the development and commercialization of imaging compounds for use with positron emission tomography scanning technology. Financial terms were not disclosed.

The compounds made by Avid directly bind to the amyloid plaques in the brain thought to cause AD. They can be used with a variety of common, non-invasive imaging technologies such as PET scanning. The potential of this compound class to accumulate preferentially in brain structures of AD patients with high amyloid beta load has already been demonstrated in pilot human studies, Schering noted.