Fluoro Pharma

September 8, 2008

FluoroPharma, Inc. announced today that Dr. David Elmaleh, FluoroPharma’s founder and Chief Scientific Advisor, will report on two preclinical studies demonstrating the potential of novel Positron Emission Tomography (PET) molecular imaging agents for detection of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and prostate cancer at the World Molecular Imaging Congress, in Nice, France on September 10-13, 2008.

The first study, “Synthesis And Biodistribution Of 2-(2-[¹⁸f]Fluoroethyl)-8-Methyl-2,8-Diazaspiro[4,5]Decane-1,3,-Dione ([¹⁸f]Fluoro-RS-86), A Muscarinic Acetylcholine Receptor Agonist” describes the synthesis, tissue distribution and pharmacokinetic profile of ¹⁸F labeled RS-86, a known M1 muscarinic receptor agonist. FluoroPharma has developed a novel biomarker approach for evaluating the progression of Alzheimer’s disease based on targeting acetylcholine receptors’ activity in the brain. As explained by Dr. Elmaleh, “Acetylcholine receptors have become a potential therapeutic target for improving cognitive function, since the receptors’ function in patients with AD is impaired due to accumulation of amyloid plaque. In conjunction with PET imaging, FluoroPharma’s compound may be a novel approach to the diagnosis of AD and other neurological diseases and the evaluation of new therapeutics.”

The second study, “Accumulation Of F-18 Labeled Modified Fatty Acid (CardioPET) In Prostate Tumor Cells: A Potential Sensitive Pet Tracer For Prostate Imaging” explores the potential of CardioPET, a fatty acid analog, to detect prostate cancer. CardioPET concentrates in significant amounts in human prostate tumor cells and shows potential as a highly sensitive agent for detecting prostate cancer. Prostate cancer is the most frequently diagnosed and second most lethal malignancy among men in the United States.

“These new molecular imaging approaches complement FluoroPharma’s existing cardiovascular clinical programs and warrant further evaluation”, says Dr. Kundakovic, FluoroPharma’s President. “We look forward to expanding our discovery and development of molecular imaging pharmaceuticals for PET to meet the growing needs in neurology and oncology.”