PRESS RELEASE
Life Molecular Imaging and Curium Pharma Announce the Start of Neuraceq® Production at Curium’s Blackrock Clinic in DublinImproved supply capabilities of Neuraceq® to provide access to Amyloid-PET to patients in the Republic of Ireland
Berlin, Germany and Dublin, Republic of Ireland, 29 August 2022. Life Molecular Imaging (LMI) and Curium Pharma announce the start of manufacturing of the Amyloid-Tracer Neuraceq® in Dublin, Republic of Ireland in August 2022.
Neuraceq® is an approved imaging agent for the detection of beta-amyloid plaques in the brain that is used in clinical routine. It is also a powerful imaging biomarker for the appropriate characterisation of subjects enrolled in clinical trials to support drug development in neurodegenerative diseases.
“We are truly excited about this collaboration with Curium Pharma to make our approved amyloid tracer Neuraceq® more available to physicians and our pharma partners for routine clinical and research use. With the addition of Dublin to our manufacturing network, Life Molecular Imaging continues to expand the availability of Neuraceq®, an important diagnostic imaging tool for the detection of beta-amyloid plaques in the brain.”, said Ludger Dinkelborg, Ph.D., Managing Director at LMI.
“Curium is delighted to collaborate with LMI to provide physicians and patients with a reliable and consistent diagnostic solution with Neuraceq®. At Curium, we have a singular focus on developing, manufacturing, and supplying world-class radiopharmaceutical products around the world. That is why today we are proud to build on our trusted heritage and partner with Life Molecular Imaging and Neuraceq® for the benefit of the nuclear medicine community.” said Dr Ruairi O’Donnell, General Manager Curium Pharma in Ireland.
About Neuraceq (florbetaben 18F)
Indication
Neuraceq® is a radioactive diagnostic agent indicated for Positron Emission Tomography (PET) imaging of the brain to estimate beta amyloid neuritic plaque density in adult patients with cognitive impairment who are being evaluated for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and other causes of cognitive decline.
A negative Neuraceq® scan indicates sparse to no amyloid neuritic plaques and is inconsistent with a neuropathological diagnosis of AD at the time of image acquisition; a negative scan result reduces the likelihood that a patient’s cognitive impairment is due to AD. A positive Neuraceq® scan indicates moderate to frequent amyloid neuritic plaques; neuropathological examination has shown this amount of amyloid neuritic plaque is present in patients with AD but may also be present in patients with other types of neurologic conditions as well as older people with normal cognition. Neuraceq® is an adjunct to other diagnostic evaluations.
Limitations of Use
- A positive Neuraceq® scan does not establish the diagnosis of AD or any other cognitive disorder.
- Safety and effectiveness of Neuraceq® have not been established for (i) predicting development of dementia or other neurologic conditions and (ii) monitoring responses to therapies.
Important Safety Information
Risk for Image Interpretation and Other Errors
Neuraceq® can be used to estimate the density of beta-amyloid neuritic plaque deposition in the brain. Neuraceq® is an adjunct to other diagnostic evaluations. Neuraceq® images should be interpreted independent of a patient’s clinical information. Physicians should receive training prior to interpretation of Neuraceq® images. Following training, image reading errors (especially false positives) may still occur. Additional interpretation errors may occur due to, but not limited to, motion artifacts or extensive brain atrophy.
Radiation Risk
Administration of Neuraceq®, like other radiopharmaceuticals, contributes to a patient´s overall long-term cumulative radiation exposure. Long-term cumulative radiation exposure is associated with an increased risk of cancer. It is important to ensure safe handling to protect patients and health care workers from unintentional radiation exposure.
Most Common Adverse Reactions
In clinical trials, the most frequently observed adverse drug reactions in 1077 subjects with 1295 Neuraceq® administrations were injection/application site erythema (1.4%), and injection site pain (3.1%).
About Life Molecular Imaging (LMI)
Life Molecular Imaging (LMI, formerly Piramal Imaging) was formed in 2012 with the acquisition of the molecular imaging research and development portfolio of Bayer Pharma AG. It is now part of the Alliance Medical Group (a member of the Life Healthcare Group) offering an integrated business including research and development laboratories, a network of cyclotrons, radiopharmacies and imaging facilities. By developing novel PET tracers for molecular imaging, LMI is focusing on a key field of modern medicine. The organization strives to be a leader in the Molecular Imaging field by developing innovative products that improve early detection and characterization of chronic and life-threatening diseases, leading to better therapeutic outcomes and improved quality of life. Please visit https://life-mi.com.
About Life Healthcare Group
Life Healthcare is a global people-centred, diversified healthcare organization listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. Life Healthcare has over 38 years’ experience in the South African private healthcare sector, and currently operates 66 healthcare facilities in southern Africa. Services include acute hospital care, acute physical rehabilitation, acute mental healthcare, renal dialysis, and wellness, occupational health, primary health, and emergency medical services. The Group owns Alliance Medical Group, the leading independent provider of medical imaging services (MRI, CT and PET scans) within Europe, operating internationally across 10 countries. Life Molecular Imaging, a division of Alliance is an integrated pharmaceutical business that includes research and development laboratories, access to a network of cyclotrons and radio-pharmacies and imaging facilities, with Life Radiopharma being Alliance’s distributor of radiopharmaceuticals to diagnose many types of diseases. Visit https://www.lifehealthcare.co.za/
About Curium
Curium is the world’s largest nuclear medicine company. Curium develops, manufactures, and distributes world-class radiopharmaceutical products to help patients around the globe. The proven heritage combined with a pioneering approach are the hallmarks to deliver innovation, excellence, and unparalleled service. With manufacturing facilities across Europe and the United States, Curium delivers SPECT, PET and therapeutic radiopharmaceutical solutions for life-threatening diseases to over 14 million patients annually. The name ‘Curium’ honors the legacy of pioneering radioactive materials researchers Marie and Pierre Curie, after whom the radioactive element curium was named and emphasizes our focus on nuclear medicine. To learn more, visit www.curiumpharma.com.
For media queries
Alya Schalabi
Marketing Europe | Life Molecular Imaging
Tel#: +49 151 1456 9895
a.schalabi@life-mi.com
