Pulmo BioTech Incorporated announced this week that its subsidiary, PulmoScience Incorporated, has completed the bio-distribution studies on its DFH-12 product candidate for the PulmoBind technology of molecular imaging of the lung’s vascular system. The completion of this study is a milestone for the company, proving the success of their molecule, code named DFH-12, and its application in other imaging technologies.
DFH-12 works, via injection, because the molecule is designed to bond only to the inner walls of the vascular system of the lungs. The DFH-12 molecule is tagged with a radionuclide, so the integrity of the lung’s vascular system can be imaged using the gamma cameras present in all hospitals with nuclear medicine imaging departments.
The new molecule’s success was demonstrated in several independent cases that showed the molecule is predominantly retained in the lungs for 30 minutes after injection, with only minor retention (~ 1/10th) in the liver and heart. The study also showed that the molecule is quickly eliminated from the body, with dispersion rates through the kidneys and bladder complete after 240 minutes.
The study shows the effectiveness of DFH-12 with gamma cameras, but the company believes that there are several other useful applications for its product line, including MRI and CT scanners. If successful, the company will change the landscape of nuclear medicine and its ability to diagnose conditions like pulmonary embolism, pulmonary hypertension and lung inflammation.
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