Integrated Diagnostics Launches Imaging Division to Create PET Imaging Probes

Integrated Diagnostics (InDi), an emerging leader in molecular diagnostics, has launched a new operating division, InDi Imaging™, that is creating PET imaging probes using the company’s innovative protein catalyzed capture (PCC) agent technology. PCCs, initially developed for in vitro molecular diagnostics, will be employed as rationally designed, in vivo diagnostic imaging probes that mimic the properties of antibodies and biologics in PET molecular imaging, with the benefit of being chemically stable, synthetic small-molecules, the company said in a statement. In the same statement, it also announced that it has appointed Norman Hardman, Ph.D., as the president of InDi Imaging. Dr. Hardman, a well-respected biotechnology executive, has a long track record of successfully commercializing new molecular technologies. The company also announced that Michael Phelps, Ph.D., Norton Simon Professor, chairman of the UCLA Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology and the inventor of PET, has been appointed to InDi Imaging as an advisor. Integrated Diagnostics’ other division, InDi Dx, will continue to focus on in vitro diagnostic medicine. Its first diagnostic test, a blood based protein test for the detection of lung cancer in patients with intermediate size pulmonary nodules, is scheduled for commercial launch in the first half of 2013.