Stanford Medicine’s Department of Radiology inks partnership with Novartis

Stanford Medicine’s Department of Radiology has inked a partnership with pharmaceutical giant Novartis, the two industry heavyweights announced Wednesday. 

They’ll work to accelerate research and development around targets for radioligand imaging across a wide range of oncological applications. Stanford Radiology said it will contribute its own “world class” expertise in molecular imaging and nuclear medicine, helping the Switzerland-headquartered firm target various therapeutic areas. 

“We are excited to leverage the Novartis pipeline to help potentially translate promising preclinical targets into effective radioligand imaging for patient care, through innovative research collaborations”  Andrei Iagaru, MD, a professor of radiology and nuclear medicine at the California-based institution, said in a statement Dec. 17. 

The partnership comes after Novartis recently said it’s seeking ways to expand use of its blockbuster prostate cancer radioligand therapy, Pluvicto, citing positive clinical trial results. Last year, Novartis broke ground on two new facilities aimed at increasing radiopharmaceutical production, in addition to selling its imaging unit to Siemens Healthineers for $223 million.

Stanford said its involvement in Novartis research reflects “a broader commitment to fostering dynamic collaborations between academia and industry.” Together, their goal is to improve health outcomes through cutting-edge research. 

“The project we’ve proposed for this collaboration will allow us to explore and potentially validate imaging technologies that support early clinical decision-making,” added Erin Grady, MD, interim chief of Stanford’s Division of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging.