Microvascular Therapeutics (MVT) has entered into a licensing agreement with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Columbia University for the use of perfluorocarbon nanodroplets and ultrasound to deliver drugs more efficiently to the brain. As a leader in perfluorocarbon technology, MVT is currently developing nanodroplets for several therapeutic applications, including Alzheimer’s Disease.
With no new Alzheimer’s drugs approved in the last 17 years, new therapeutic approaches are desperately needed to treat the growing number of patients as our population ages. One major obstacle is getting drugs across the blood-brain barrier into the brain. Using perfluorocarbon and ultrasound is a promising approach to increase delivery of drugs into the brain with little patient discomfort.
Evan Unger, MD, founder and Chairman of MVT said “This extends our ongoing work in therapeutic nanodroplets in important ways for patients suffering one of the most difficult to treat diseases. We are optimistic that this will lead to better options for patients.” Dr. Unger has been pioneering the use of perfluorocarbons and ultrasound in diagnostics and therapeutics for more than 30 years and is the inventor of Definity®, the leading ultrasound contrast agent.
“We are very excited to work with Dr. Unger and MVT on the commercialization of this exciting technology. Dr. Unger has a proven track record of bringing life-saving technologies to the clinic, and perfluorocarbon nanodroplets have the potential to make a significant impact in patient care,” said Paul Dayton, Ph.D, professor and interim chair of biomedical engineering at the UNC-Chapel Hill and North Carolina State University Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, and co-inventor of the technology.
Recently MVT was awarded a Small Business Innovative Research grant entitled, “Targeted ultrasound contrast agents for the disruption of Alzheimer’s plaques,” from the National Institute of Aging. This grant will help to develop the technology licensed from the University of North Carolina and Columbia University.
About Microvascular Therapeutics (MVT)
Microvascular Therapeutics is a biotechnology company based in Tucson, Arizona and is a leader in microbubble technology. MVT's mission is to develop the next generation of contrast agents for diagnostic ultrasound and advance the field of ultrasound for diagnosis and treatment of disease. The chemists at MVT have developed a new, patented formulation that may potentially serve as a platform for development of agents for molecular imaging and image-guided therapy. (www.mvtpharma.com)
About the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the nation’s first public university, is a global higher education leader known for innovative teaching, research and public service. A member of the prestigious Association of American Universities, Carolina regularly ranks as the best value for academic quality in U.S. public higher education. Now in its third century, the University offers 77 bachelor’s, 107 master’s, 65 doctorate and seven professional degree programs through 14 schools, including the College of Arts & Sciences. Every day, faculty, staff and students shape their teaching, research and public service to meet North Carolina’s most pressing needs in every region and all 100 counties. Carolina’s 341,972 alumni live in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, U.S. Territories and 159 countries. More than 185,118 live in North Carolina.
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