(Shrewsbury and Boston, MA) -- In a significant breakthrough in assisting early-stage
drug development, especially for Central Nervous System (CNS) diseases and conditions
such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Disease, Schizophrenia and Post Traumatic Stress
Disorder (PTSD), Ekam Imaging Inc. is pleased to announce a new service offering
positioned to transform the way in which new therapies are discovered and developed.
Ekam is the only Contract Research Organization (CRO) now capable of performing
translatable, multi-modal imaging studies (fMRI and molecular) using awake, unanesthetized
animals. This unique and proprietary capability provides the critical tools
for evaluating, in real time, the progression of disease and the efficacy and safety of
novel therapeutics designed to treat many of the unmet medical needs affecting so many
patients throughout the world.
Ekam has entered into a licensing and services contract with Northeastern University and
its Center for Translational Neuroimaging (CTNI), under the direction of Dr. Craig
Ferris, a pioneer of awake animal imaging and co-founder of Ekam. Under the terms of
the agreement, Ekam technology is being used by CTNI to deliver imaging services to
both its commercial and academic collaborators. Reciprocally, Ekam adds to its
technology portfolio future imaging and radiochemistry capabilities that are developed at
Northeastern.
Since opening operations in May 2009, Ekam has conducted a variety of awake animal
imaging studies for its Sponsors, including some of the world’s largest pharmaceutical
companies. The positive feedback resulting from these studies has resulted in additional
programs within existing Sponsors and increased awareness and interest across the
industry.
“Imaging is rapidly growing in importance as a preclinical tool capable of providing
more clinically relevant and translatable information critical to the more productive development of novel drugs, especially those affecting the brain,” said Mark Nedelman,
President of Ekam. “Until now, preclinical imaging use has been limited by the
ambiguities surrounding the use of anaesthetized animals. Once you remove that
limitation, its use at various points along the drug development process will grow,
substantially reducing the cost of development by eliminating more expensive or less
efficient alternative methods. Further, certain applications of imaging in preclinical
development will only now become available with the capability to study conscious
animals. The ability to deliver accurate, translational data will greatly assist our
Sponsors in faster and more informed decision making.”
“Animal imaging is crucial in early drug discovery, however the use of anesthesia creates
an artificial situation that masks true drug activity and pharmacokinetics,” said Craig
Ferris, PhD, director of CTNI and Professor of Psychology and Pharmaceutical Sciences
at Northeastern University. “In addition, animal behavior, the traditional means of
evaluating drug efficacy, does not reliably translate to the human condition , ultimately
costing drug companies hundreds of millions dollars when they discover the drug doesn’t
work in clinical trials. The testing we are now able to perform in partnership with Ekam
examines the patterns of brain activity and integrated neural circuits in rodents and nonhuman
primates that are activated with drugs and compares these to human imaging data
on brain activity."
“These sorts of collaborations between industry and academia are what keep the
innovation pipeline in Massachusetts strong,” said Dr. Susan Windham-Bannister,
President and CEO of The Massachusetts Life Sciences Center. This collaboration will
advance scientific knowledge, and create jobs as Ekam Imaging continues to grow.” The
Center has invested $3.7 million to fund collaborative research arrangements between life
sciences companies and academic institutions. Ekam Imaging, Inc. was founded by a team of renowned scientists including Dr. Ferris
and co-researcher Graham Jones, PhD, Professor and Chair of the Department of
Chemistry and Chemical Biology at Northeastern. Ekam’s proprietary technology
includes eight patents focused on the imaging of awake animals and the labeling of drugs
using microwave mediated organic synthesis technology. This allows compounds to be
more accurately and efficiently studied once administered in vivo providing important
information on how the body handles new drugs. Additional Ekam intellectual property
includes advanced data analysis techniques, three-dimensional brain atlases used for data
visualization, and imaging models of various disease conditions. Ekam’s current and
potential clients include pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device companies
looking to leverage the potential offered by multi-modal imaging in awake animals across
many different therapeutic fields. This capability is especially important in the
development of drugs aimed at treating many chronic and debilitating diseases such as
Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and Huntington’s disease, Schizophrenia and pain.
About Ekam Imaging Inc.
Ekam Imaging Inc. is a pre-clinical contract research organization that provides imaging
services, data analysis, and information synthesis to pharmaceutical and biotechnology
companies worldwide. Ekam’s primary focus is on central nervous system diseases and
auto-immune disorders, where the imaging of awake, un-anesthetized animals is critical
to successful drug discovery and development. For more information, please visit
www.ekamimaging.com.
About Northeastern University
Founded in 1898, Northeastern University is a private research university located in the
heart of Boston. Northeastern is a leader in interdisciplinary research, urban engagement,
and the integration of classroom learning with real-world experience. The university's
distinctive cooperative education program, where students alternate semesters of full-time
study with semesters of paid work in fields relevant to their professional interests and
major, is one of the largest and most innovative in the world. The University offers a
comprehensive range of undergraduate and graduate programs leading to degrees through
the doctorate in six undergraduate colleges, eight graduate schools, and two part-time
divisions. For more information, please visit www.northeastern.edu.
About the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center
The Massachusetts Life Sciences Center (MLSC) is a quasi-public agency of the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts tasked with implementing the Massachusetts Life
Sciences Act, a ten-year, $1 billion initiative that was signed into law in June of 2008.
The Center’s mission is to create jobs in the life sciences and support vital scientific
research that will improve the human condition. This work includes making financial
investments in public and private institutions that are advancing life sciences research,
development and commercialization and building ties between sectors of the Massachusetts life sciences community. For more information, visit
www.masslifesciences.com.
