Amersham teams with Pfizer

Two giants of the pharmaceutical industry have struck a partnership to cooperatively develop molecular imaging technologies. Under the agreement, Pfizer will fund imaging research programs in Amersham Health's Imanet, an evolving network of leading research centers in PET. The research will be aimed at identifying new molecular diagnostic products based on library compounds in Pfizer's research portfolio, while simultaneously using Amersham Health's imaging technology to accelerate research decisions. Such imaging techniques may be used in disease management to ensure effective use of therapeutics for illnesses including Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease, heart disease, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Amersham Health has the rights to develop and commercialize diagnostics resulting from the collaboration.

This is the latest of several steps aimed at strengthening Amersham Health's positions in PET. A year ago Amersham Health announced development of an international network of leading imaging research centers it called Imanet, designed to provide imaging solutions to pharmaceutical companies developing novel therapeutics. Late last year the company entered a research collaboration with GE Medical Systems to accelerate the development of new PET-based molecular imaging technologies.