Epix and Mallinckrodt expand R&D deal

Contrast agent firms Epix Medical of Cambridge, MA, and Mallinckrodt of St. Louis announced this month an expansion of their existing agreement to research and develop MR imaging technologies. Epix and Mallinckrodt will both fund research in intravascular MRI contrast agents, and they will pursue additional applications for AngioMark, Epix’s imaging agent, such as identifying peripheral vascular disease, coronary artery disease, and breast cancer. AngioMark has completed phase II clinical trials for peripheral vascular use, and is in phase II trials for the other two indications. Epix and Mallinckrodt would also like to research the use of AngioMark for macro- and micro-vessel imaging.