Daily News Briefs

Royal Philips Electronics of the Netherlands has established several new research collaborations through its new molecular imaging (MI) business unit, which is in the process of setting up an MI user group and a scientific advisory board. Under a three-year National Cancer Institute contract, Philips is collaborating with Washington University, Dow Chemical and Kereos to develop target-specific nantotechnology molecular agents. The company has also begun a collaborative research project with Washington University and Kereos to develop a targeted contrast agent for computed tomography (CT), and is working with the Theseus Imaging subsidiary of North American Scientific Inc. to optimize the methodology for in vivo imaging of cardiac cell death. Philips showcased its MI technologies at the 2nd annual meeting of the Society for Molecular Imaging (SMI) last week in San Francisco. In June, Phillips introduced MOSAIC, an advanced "small bore" animal positron emission tomography (PET) imaging system. It also announced an exclusive worldwide distribution agreement with ImTek Inc., of Knoxville, Tenn., for ImTek's MicroCAT II in-vivo x-ray CT scanner, also for use in animal research.