NEW YORK (GenomeWeb News) – Bruker BioSpin, a division of Bruker, and Royal Philips Electronics jointly announced today that they have signed a memorandum of understanding to develop Magnetic Particle Imaging scanners for the preclinical market.
The collaboration would combine Philips' strength in medical imaging with Bruker BioSpin's expertise in analytical magnetic resonance instruments and preclinical MRI.
Under terms of the deal, BioSpin would develop and manufacture the preclinical MPI scanner at its facilities in Ettlingen, Germany. The firms intend to co-market the resulting product.
The partners said that they believe the addition of MPI, which is a new technique developed by Philips, as a complementary preclinical imaging technique holds great potential in providing new insights into disease processes at the organ, cellular, and molecular level.
"Through its combined speed, resolution, and sensitivity, our Magnetic Particle Imaging technology has great potential for the diagnosis, therapy planning, and therapy response assessment for major diseases such as heart disease and cancer," Diego Olego, chief technology officer of Philips Healthcare, said in a statement.
The firms announced the deal at the 2009 World Molecular Imaging Congress being held in Montreal.