EPIX Medical Inc announced the initiation of a multi-centre phase IIa clinical trial of MS-325 for imaging both the coronary arteries and myocardial perfusion.

MS-325 is a novel Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) blood pool contrast agent designed specifically for vascular imaging. The goal of the study is to assess the feasibility of using MS-325-enhanced-MRA for coronary angiography and cardiac perfusion imaging.

A New Drug Application (NDA) for MS-325 vascular imaging was accepted for filing by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in February 2004. A separate filing was accepted by the European Agency for the Evaluation of Medicinal Products (EMEA) in June 2004. The product, co-developed by EPIX and Schering AG, Germany, could aid in the early diagnosis of vascular disease, the company release says.

"The continued development and commercialization of MS-325 is our primary focus at EPIX," said Michael D Webb, president and CEO of EPIX. He added, "We believe that recent technological advances made in MRI hardware and software have improved cardiac MRI, overcoming many of the inherent difficulties in imaging the moving heart. The time is right to expand MS-325 development for imaging both the coronary arteries and blood flow through the heart in a single examination."

EPIX, based in Cambridge, is a developer of innovative pharmaceuticals, specializing in targeted MRI contrast agents for the diagnosis and clinical management of disease. The Company claims that MS-325, its lead product under development, has the potential to be an alternative to invasive X-ray angiography for diagnostic vascular imaging.