Sonus files for EU approval of EchoGen

Sonus Pharmaceuticals announced that the European Medicines EvaluationAgency (EMEA) has accepted the company's marketing authorizationapplication (MAA) for its EchoGen ultrasound contrast agent forcardiology and radiology indications. The application, if approved,would enable Sonus to market EchoGen in all 15 nations of theEuropean Union, according to the company.

The Bothell, WA-based company submitted its application underthe new centralized application procedure, whereby a generallybinding approval, valid for all EU nations, may be obtained bya single application. Sonus made the announcement at the Hambrecht& Quist Healthcare Conference in San Francisco this month.

The filing generated a $1 million milestone payment from marketingpartner Abbott Laboratories of Abbott Park, IL (SCAN 10/23/96).Sonus filed a new drug application for EchoGen with the Food andDrug Administration in September. Sonus is set to receive another$4.4 million in milestone payments this year from Abbott afterbeginning phase III trials for use of EchoGen in myocardial perfusionstudies.

In other Sonus news, the company announced that researchersfrom Albany (NY) Medical College showed the first publicly presentedimages of EchoGen-enhanced prostate studies at the RadiologicalSociety of North America meeting in December.