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(ROANOKE, VA, June 24, 2008) – Researchers from Luna nanoWorks, a division of Luna Innovations Incorporated, and the Washington University School of Medicine co-authored a paper titled "Hydrochalarones: A Novel Endohedral Metallofullerene Platform for Enhancing Magnetic Resonance Imaging Contrast" that was published in the peer-reviewed Journal of Medicinal Chemistry. The paper describes a new contrast agent in which gadolinium is encapsulated within an extremely stable carbon nanosphere, thus allowing for safe, extended residence within the body. The new compounds may be used to visualize tissue architecture in vivo using standard Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) techniques. Luna's HYDROCHALARONE™ molecules have initially proven to be more effective at enhancing images and are potentially safer than current gadolinium-containing contrast agents, which have been associated with health problems.
In today's agents, the gadolinium is formulated in a chelate to prevent toxicity. The chelate binds around the gadolinium, preventing toxicity. The chelate agent is designed to be in the body for a short period of time, and is cleansed through renal elimination. In kidney disease, the cleansing system slows down, allowing the chelate and the gadolinium to separate, which exposes the patient to the toxic metal molecule.
Luna's HYDROCHALARONE™ was selected for preclinical studies and collaboration with National Cancer Institute's Nanotechnology Characterization Laboratory. "The goal of Luna's product development effort with the HYDROCHALARONE™ is using it as a fundamental building block that may generate a portfolio of novel imaging agents targeted to reveal diagnostic information specific for a variety of different diseases, such as cancer tumors, sites of inflammation and plaque related to coronary artery diseases, as announced in our previous press release," said Robert Lenk, President of Luna's nanoWorks Division and an author on the paper.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has been reviewing reports about patients who have developed a new disease after receiving a chelate-based contrast agent. This debilitating disease, known as Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis or Nephrogenic Fibrosing Dermopathy (NSF/NFD), may affect the skin, muscles and internal organs and can cause death. The FDA has issued a black-box warning to heighten awareness about the risk of NSF/NFD, particularly in patients with kidney and liver problems.
The Journal of Medicinal Chemistry is a publication of the American Chemical Society that focuses on original research dealing with chemical-biological relationships, mainly the bond between molecular structure and biological activity. The paper can be downloaded at the following link: http://pubs.acs.org/cgi-bin/abstract.cgi/jmcmar/asap/abs/jm800521j.html.
About Luna Innovations:
Luna Innovations Incorporated (www.lunananoworks.com) develops and manufactures new-generation products for the healthcare, telecommunications, energy and defense markets. Luna's products are used to measure, monitor, protect and improve critical processes in the markets we serve. Luna nanoWorks is a division of Luna Innovations. With a world-class nanomaterial manufacturing facility in Danville, Virginia, the nanoWorks Division is developing products empowered by nanomaterials with applications in diagnostics, therapeutics, and organic solar cells. For more information visit www.lunananoworks.com.
Forward Looking Statements:
This press release includes information that constitutes "forward-looking statements" made pursuant to the safe harbor provision of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including but not limited to Luna Innovations' and its nanoWorks division's expected development of potential products with respect to MRI contrast agents, Luna’s HYDROCHALARONE™ molecule's potential relative safety and ability to generate imaging agents. The company attempts, whenever possible, to identify forward-looking statements by words such as "intends," "will," "plans," "anticipates," "expects," "may," "estimates," "believes," "should," "projects," or "continue," or the negative of those words and other comparable words. Similarly, statements that describe the company's business strategy, goals, prospects, opportunities, outlook, objectives, plans or intentions are also forward-looking statements. Actual events or results may differ materially from the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, including risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the company's control. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: the development of nanomaterials-based contrast agents, the safety from such agents, nanomedicines, or imaging agents whether real or perceived, and the potential limitations of regulatory requirements in obtaining clearance by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or other regulatory agencies for the company's products, the time to characterize a nanomaterial through the NCL and the timeline for bringing any new drugs based on nanomaterials to market. Additional factors that may affect the future results of the company are set forth in the company's quarterly and annual reports on Form 10-Q and Form 10-K, respectively, and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), which are available at the SEC's website at http://www.sec.gov, and at the Company's website at http://www.lunainnovations.com. These risk factors are updated from time to time through the filing of periodic reports with the SEC. The statements made in this press release are based on information available to the company as of the date of this release and Luna Innovations undertakes no obligation to update any of the forward-looking statements herein after the date of this press release.
Name: Karin Clark
Title: Director, Marketing and Communications
E-mail: kclark@lunainnovations.com
Phone: 1.540.769.8400
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Luna nanoWorks' Next-Generation MRI Contrast Agent Breakthrough Published in Journal of Medicinal Chemistry
(ROANOKE, VA, June 24, 2008) – Researchers from Luna nanoWorks, a division of Luna Innovations Incorporated, and the Washington University School of Medicine co-authored a paper titled "Hydrochalarones: A Novel Endohedral Metallofullerene Platform for Enhancing Magnetic Resonance Imaging Contrast" that was published in the peer-reviewed Journal of Medicinal Chemistry. The paper describes a new contrast agent in which gadolinium is encapsulated within an extremely stable carbon nanosphere, thus allowing for safe, extended residence within the body. The new compounds may be used to visualize tissue architecture in vivo using standard Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) techniques. Luna's HYDROCHALARONE™ molecules have initially proven to be more effective at enhancing images and are potentially safer than current gadolinium-containing contrast agents, which have been associated with health problems.
In today's agents, the gadolinium is formulated in a chelate to prevent toxicity. The chelate binds around the gadolinium, preventing toxicity. The chelate agent is designed to be in the body for a short period of time, and is cleansed through renal elimination. In kidney disease, the cleansing system slows down, allowing the chelate and the gadolinium to separate, which exposes the patient to the toxic metal molecule.
Luna's HYDROCHALARONE™ was selected for preclinical studies and collaboration with National Cancer Institute's Nanotechnology Characterization Laboratory. "The goal of Luna's product development effort with the HYDROCHALARONE™ is using it as a fundamental building block that may generate a portfolio of novel imaging agents targeted to reveal diagnostic information specific for a variety of different diseases, such as cancer tumors, sites of inflammation and plaque related to coronary artery diseases, as announced in our previous press release," said Robert Lenk, President of Luna's nanoWorks Division and an author on the paper.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has been reviewing reports about patients who have developed a new disease after receiving a chelate-based contrast agent. This debilitating disease, known as Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis or Nephrogenic Fibrosing Dermopathy (NSF/NFD), may affect the skin, muscles and internal organs and can cause death. The FDA has issued a black-box warning to heighten awareness about the risk of NSF/NFD, particularly in patients with kidney and liver problems.
The Journal of Medicinal Chemistry is a publication of the American Chemical Society that focuses on original research dealing with chemical-biological relationships, mainly the bond between molecular structure and biological activity. The paper can be downloaded at the following link: http://pubs.acs.org/cgi-bin/abstract.cgi/jmcmar/asap/abs/jm800521j.html.
About Luna Innovations:
Luna Innovations Incorporated (www.lunananoworks.com) develops and manufactures new-generation products for the healthcare, telecommunications, energy and defense markets. Luna's products are used to measure, monitor, protect and improve critical processes in the markets we serve. Luna nanoWorks is a division of Luna Innovations. With a world-class nanomaterial manufacturing facility in Danville, Virginia, the nanoWorks Division is developing products empowered by nanomaterials with applications in diagnostics, therapeutics, and organic solar cells. For more information visit www.lunananoworks.com.
Forward Looking Statements:
This press release includes information that constitutes "forward-looking statements" made pursuant to the safe harbor provision of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including but not limited to Luna Innovations' and its nanoWorks division's expected development of potential products with respect to MRI contrast agents, Luna’s HYDROCHALARONE™ molecule's potential relative safety and ability to generate imaging agents. The company attempts, whenever possible, to identify forward-looking statements by words such as "intends," "will," "plans," "anticipates," "expects," "may," "estimates," "believes," "should," "projects," or "continue," or the negative of those words and other comparable words. Similarly, statements that describe the company's business strategy, goals, prospects, opportunities, outlook, objectives, plans or intentions are also forward-looking statements. Actual events or results may differ materially from the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, including risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the company's control. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: the development of nanomaterials-based contrast agents, the safety from such agents, nanomedicines, or imaging agents whether real or perceived, and the potential limitations of regulatory requirements in obtaining clearance by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or other regulatory agencies for the company's products, the time to characterize a nanomaterial through the NCL and the timeline for bringing any new drugs based on nanomaterials to market. Additional factors that may affect the future results of the company are set forth in the company's quarterly and annual reports on Form 10-Q and Form 10-K, respectively, and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), which are available at the SEC's website at http://www.sec.gov, and at the Company's website at http://www.lunainnovations.com. These risk factors are updated from time to time through the filing of periodic reports with the SEC. The statements made in this press release are based on information available to the company as of the date of this release and Luna Innovations undertakes no obligation to update any of the forward-looking statements herein after the date of this press release.
Media Contact Information
Name: Karin Clark
Title: Director, Marketing and Communications
E-mail: kclark@lunainnovations.com
Phone: 1.540.769.8400
