GE Healthcare Presents Flutemetamol Data for Detection of Amyloid Plaque Linked to Alzheimer's Disease

MIAMI, Jan. 14, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- New clinical research data suggests that [18F] Flutemetamol could add value to current diagnostic tools used by physicians and provide accurate identification of beta amyloid plaques, considered to be a sign of neurodegeneration linked to Alzheimer's Disease (AD).  Flutemetamol, a GE Healthcare Positron Emission Tomography (PET) imaging agent currently in phase III development, is being studied to identify the uptake of beta amyloid via imaging of the brain tissue in live humans.  Currently, beta amyloid is identified from brain samples acquired post-mortem. Together with other GE Healthcare imaging modalities, this may help physicians detect amyloid deposition and assist in the detection and treatment of AD.

"The wealth of data presented this year at the annual HAI meeting fundamentally supports the value Flutemetamol could bring to the Alzheimer's community," said Jonathan Allis, MI PET Segment Leader, GE Healthcare Medical Diagnostics.  "The ability to make visual assessments of amyloid in AD patients may enable physicians to seek earlier, confirmed diagnosis of AD and make more informed care decisions."

Data highlights from five clinical abstracts from studies of Flutemetamol to be featured at the 5th Annual Human Amyloid Imaging (HAI) meeting in Miami, Florida suggest that:

• The in vivo PET retention of Flutemetamol and PIB (Pittsburgh Compound B) have comparable patterns of binding;
• There is a strong concordance between Flutemetamol amyloid imaging and cortical biopsy histopathology using both visual and quantitative methods;
• The combination of Flutemetamol and structural MRI can provide information that could be useful in understanding other (non-AD) neuro-degenerative diseases and in identifying beta amyloid formation; and
• Flutemetamol scans can be categorized with automated software suitable for use in clinical practice.

"At GE Healthcare, our scientists and researchers remain fully committed to developing enhanced diagnostics tools that may help Alzheimer's Disease patients and their families get accurate information as early as possible," said Pascale Witz, CEO, GE Healthcare Medical Diagnostics.

GE Healthcare is taking a comprehensive approach to understanding Alzheimer's Disease through its ongoing research to uncover the causes, risks and physical effects of Alzheimer's Disease. The company's global commitment to advance clinical knowledge and provide a variety of technologies to aid the fight in this epidemic may assist physicians in the acceleration of diagnosis and improvement of treatment decisions in all stages of the disease. GE Healthcare already offers a range of imaging modalities used by physicians to assist in the detection of AD and dementia (CT, MRI, PET, SPECT) and has been a key contributor to the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative since its inception. The company also plays a key role in PredictAD, an EU-funded research project to develop solutions to enable earlier diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease.  [18F] Flutemetamol is only one part of a broad portfolio of diagnostic solutions that GE Healthcare is currently developing in the Alzheimer's field.

ABOUT GE HEALTHCARE:

GE Healthcare provides transformational medical technologies and services that are shaping a new age of patient care. Our broad expertise in medical imaging and information technologies, medical diagnostics, patient monitoring systems, drug discovery, biopharmaceutical manufacturing technologies, performance improvement and performance solutions services help our customers to deliver better care to more people around the world at a lower cost. In addition, we partner with healthcare leaders, striving to leverage the global policy change necessary to implement a successful shift to sustainable healthcare systems.

Our "healthymagination" vision for the future invites the world to join us on our journey as we continuously develop innovations focused on reducing costs, increasing access and improving quality around the world. Headquartered in the United Kingdom, GE Healthcare is a unit of General Electric Company (NYSE: GE). Worldwide, GE Healthcare employees are committed to serving healthcare professionals and their patients in more than 100 countries. For more information about GE Healthcare, visit our web site at www.gehealthcare.com.

For our latest news, please visit http://newsroom.gehealthcare.com

SOURCE GE Healthcare

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