ImaRx signs deal with Du Pont Merck

Ultrasound contrast developer ImaRx Pharmaceutical of Tucson hassigned a licensing agreement with Du Pont Merck for its MRX-115Aerosomes agent. The second-generation agent is targeted at cardiacand blood pool imaging and began phase-II clinical trials lastmonth. Du Pont Merck will assume clinical development of cardiologyand radiology applications for MRX-115 after ImaRx finishes phase-IItrials.

Du Pont Merck will make up-front, milestone and royalty paymentsto ImaRx in exchange for exclusive rights to MRX-115 for cardiologyand radiology applications in North and South America, and forcardiology applications in the European Union. ImaRx retains rightsto the agent for radiology applications in the European Union,and all rights in other regions of the world.

ImaRx is developing several other contrast agents, includingLumenHance, a gastrointestinal MRI agent, and SonoRx, a gastrointestinalultrasound agent (SCAN 3/10/93).