Sonus heads north to ATL territory

Ultrasound contrast agent developerSonus Pharmaceuticals is moving its corporate headquarters thismonth. The move, to the Seattle suburb of Bothell, WA, will makeSonus a close neighbor of ultrasound company ATL, also based inBothell.

Sonus previously was headquartered in Costa Mesa, CA. The company,founded by Omniscan inventor Dr. Steven Quay, is developing aline of intravascular ultrasound contrast agents.

The company's first agent, EchoGen, is based on an emulsionthat turns into echogenic microbubbles when injected (SCAN 1/19/94).Sonus filed an investigational new drug (IND) application forEchoGen earlier this year.

The ATL and Sonus facilities are located within a stone's throwof each other, according to ATL president David Perozek. WhileATL and Sonus employees can look forward to sharing the sunnyskies for which the Pacific Northwest is famous, the relationshipbetween the companies will go no farther than that, at least forthe time being.

ATL and Sonus do not have a business relationship and haveno plans to develop one in the near future, Perozek said.

Sonus representatives were not available for comment.