Cyclopharm makes historic first US sale

Radiopharmaceutical manufacturer Cyclopharm has announced that Duke University Hospital in the United States has signed the first commercial contract for the use of its Technegas lung imaging system in the United States.

Following the approval of Technegas by the United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) in September, this agreement signifies a major milestone for the company.

Technegas is an ultra-fine dispersion of radio-labelled carbon, produced by using dried Technetium-99m in a carbon crucible, micro furnaced for a few seconds at around 2,750°C.

The resultant gaseous substance is inhaled by the patient via a breathing apparatus, which then allows multiple views and tomographic imaging with a nuclear medicine camera.

Duke University Hospital, located in Durham, North Carolina, is part of the larger Duke University Health System and is a renowned academic medical centre known for its high-quality patient care, research and medical education, according to a statement from Cyclopharm.

The hospital is affiliated with Duke University and serves as a teaching hospital for the Duke University School of Medicine.

Duke was one of ten locations in the USA that participated in the Company’s recent clinical trial that was submitted as part of the New Drug Application (NDA) to the FDA for Technegas.

Cyclopharm’s Managing Director James McBrayer said: “I am thrilled that Duke University Hospital, a globally respected centre of healthcare excellence, innovation and a recent clinical trial site for Technegas, will be among the first to offer Technegas to their referring physicians and patients.”

McBrayer confirmed that that ‘the implementation of Technegas at Duke will be on full commercial terms as previously communicated to the market and will be leveraging off Technegas’ wide indication for use approved by the USFDA”.

Picture: University of Newcastle/Trial of Technegas generator