WVU Healthcare in West Virginia, is the first centre in the US to perform commercial scans using Neuraceq. It became available for commercial use in August, marking the first time patients are able to receive Neuraceq scans in the US outside of research studies.
Neuraceq, which received marketing authorisation in the European Union and in the US earlier this year, is a radiopharmaceutical 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 beta-amyloid scan may help rule out AD as a cause of a patient’s cognitive decline. 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. Prior to the availability of this technology a confirmation of the clinical diagnosis of AD could only be accomplished through autopsy. Neuraceq was approved by the FDA earlier this year.
”At WVU Healthcare, we are making history as the first centre in the US to offer patients access to beta-amyloid imaging with florbetaben without enrolling in a research trial.” said Dr Gary D Marano, Medical Director of Nuclear Medicine and PET/CT. “For us as clinicians, it’s a new diagnostic option to offer patients and referring physicians in cases of cognitive decline and concerns for Alzheimer’s disease.”
“As a company dedicated to innovation in molecular imaging, it was important to deliver Neuraceq into hands of trained dementia experts as soon as possible to start advancing treatment options and improving patient outcomes,” said Friedrich Gause, COO, Piramal Imaging “We view this as an important milestone but just the beginning of our work to bring beta-amyloid imaging to the US patient population.”
EH News Bureau