CONTACT:
Gregory J. McGarry, Director of Public Relations, Albany Medical Center
[email protected], 518-262-3421
Richard A. Puff , Assistant Director of Public Relations, Albany Medical Center
[email protected], 518-262-3421
FOR RELEASE: On Receipt
ALBANY, N.Y., June 12, 1997 - A preliminary study conducted at Albany Medical Center of a new imaging agent has shown promising results that may lead to significant improvements in the early detection of pulmonary embolism (blood clots in the lungs) of hospitalized patients.
Pulmonary embolism occurs when blood clots travel from another part of the body and lodge in the lung. It is the third most common cause of death in the United States and the most common cause of preventable death in hospitalized patients. An estimated 600,000 people in the United States annually develop pulmonary emboli. Left untreated, 30 percent of patients die.
While there are a variety of tests available to help detect pulmonary embolism, current noninvasive tests have limited accuracy, said Bruce Line, M.D., professor of radiology at Albany Medical College. The early results of testing by Dr. Line and his colleagues suggest that the clot imaging agent MH-1 may significantly improve the detection of pulmonary embolism.
"This agent is unique as it can allow us to see the clot anywhere in the body," Dr. Line noted.
MH-1 is a patented agent developed by American Biogenetic Sciences, Inc. of Boston (Nasdaq: MABXA). The first study of this agent in eight patients with pulmonary embolism was recently completed at Albany Medical Center, the only institution in the country involved in Phase I/II clinical trials of MH-1 for pulmonary embolism. The study was funded by American Biogenetic Sciences.
MH-1 is linked to a radioisotope (technetium 99m) which is routinely used in nuclear medicine. The agent is injected into the patient before undergoing imaging using a gamma camera, a device which makes pictures out of the emissions of the radioisotope.
"This method appears to have a high sensitivity in detecting patients with pulmonary embolism and may allow detection of the source of the clot in the chest and leg using a single scanning procedure within a clinically relevant timeframe," Dr. Line said. He noted that while the preliminary studies have shown positive results, continued testing of MH-1 is needed.
A case report of one of the eight patients in the study is featured in the June issue of the medical journal Clinical Nuclear Medicine. While a lung scan showed a high probability of a pulmonary embolism, the patient had no obvious source of the embolism. By using the MH-1 imaging agent, Dr. Line showed that the clot originated in the patient's heart.
Knowing where a clot originated can be helpful in choosing the most appropriate treatment plan, Dr. Line said.
An abstract of Dr. Line's study was presented earlier this month at the annual meeting of the Society of Nuclear Medicine in San Antonio, TX, and is contained in the May 1997 issue of the Journal of Nuclear Medicine.
A pulmonary embolism occurs when a blood clot dislodges -- typically in the legs or pelvis -- and travels through the bloodstream and lodges in the lungs. A portion of the lung may become damaged due to a lack of oxygen, which can cause shortness of breath and chest pain. A large clot that enters the lung could cause rapid death due to an inability of blood to circulate through the lung.
Hospitalized patients are often affected by pulmonary emboli when blood clots form in their legs following surgery. Walking and other leg exercises are strongly encouraged following surgery to reduce the chance of clot formation. Patients with pulmonary emboli are usually treated with blood-thinning drugs.
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Additional Contacts:
Rubinstein Investor Relations
Clint Cantwell
212-843-8051
American Biogenetic Sciences, Inc.
Mitchell D. Benus
516-789-2600
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