Targeson

San Diego, CA – August 26, 2010 – Targeson Inc. (www.targeson.com) announced that Joshua Rychak PhD, Vice President of Research and Development, was selected as one of The Daily Transcript’s San Diego Young Influentials 2010 (http://www.sddt.com/Newsmakers/index.cfm?LID=24). The selection to this group of 20 business and science leaders in San Diego represents acknowledgement from the community that Dr. Rychak is among the key young entrepreneurs in the local biotech industry. Dr. Rychak is a co-founder of Targeson Inc., a molecular imaging company focused on developing targeted ultrasound imaging agents to detect and monitor serious diseases. Molecular imaging allows the detection of disease before the onset of clinical symptoms, thereby enabling earlier therapeutic treatment. The company’s technology is based on proprietary acoustically active microspheres, which enable researchers to identify diseases at the molecular level using portable and cost-efficient ultrasound imaging technology. The company was incubated in Virginia and derived from technology out of the University of Virginia with grant funding. It moved its facilities to San Diego in 2009, knowing that here, the concentration of medical services and research support would prove vital to the growth of the company.

About Targeson

Targeson, Inc. currently develops, manufactures, and markets ultrasound imaging agents for functional and molecular imaging applications in the research market. Targeson’s commercial products include: Targestar®-P, a non-targeted ultrasound contrast agent designed to enhance contrast in the vasculature used to image and quantify blood flow and vascular function. Targestar- SA, a targetable ultrasound contrast agent enabling a vast array of targeting ligands to be placed on the agent by the user for diverse molecular imaging applications including tumor angiogenesis, myocardial infarction, atherosclerotic plaque, thrombosis, organ transplant rejection, and other inflammatory diseases. Visistar® Integrin, a targeted ultrasound contrast agent coated with a peptide specific for molecular imaging of angiogenesis and tumor growth.

San Diego, CA – August 26, 2010 – “ Targeson has successfully completed the CONNECT Springboard program. Springboard, CONNECT’s flagship program, assists innovators and entrepreneurs with the definition of a compelling commercialization strategy through mentoring by seasoned, C-level executives – CONNECT’s Entrepreneurs-in-Residence (EIRs). Since 2005, 177 companies have completed the Springboard process and 75% of these companies are still in operation. These companies have raised over $ 140 Million in seed-, venture- and debt financing. The Springboard program has been replicated in more than 40 locations around the world, most recently in New York City.” 

Ruprecht von Buttlar

CONNECT Director, Business Creation & Development
http://www.connect.org/springboard/

Dr. Joshua Rychak was invited to present a lecture on the technology of targeted ultrasound molecular imaging at the Moores Cancer Center, San Diego in conjunction with the Center’s In vivo Cancer and Molecular Imaging Center (ICMIC) Working Conference. Dr. Rychak’s presentation reviewed the microbubble technology that supports Targeson’s ultrasound agent products and discussed the techniques and procedures for targeted ultrasound imaging of tumor angiogenesis. An excerpt of the lecture slides can be viewed below.

Dr. Rychak is the Vice President of Research and Development for Targeson Inc. Targeson is pleased to present this information for you and we welcome your comments.

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Targeson has released several job openings in R&D and manufacturing. Please click here for details.

San Diego, CA – December 15, 2009 – Targeson Inc. (www.targeson.com) announced that it has moved its research and manufacturing facilities to San Diego. Targeson develops, manufactures, and markets ultrasound molecular imaging agents for research applications, enabling researchers to characterize diseases at the molecular level using portable and cost-efficient ultrasound imaging. Contrast ultrasound imaging is emerging as an effective imaging technique in basic science and the drug discovery process. This imaging method is highly specific, portable, and permits anatomical and functional imaging in real time. Targeted molecular imaging provides a convenient and noninvasive technique for characterizing biological processes in vivo and monitoring responses to therapeutic interventions.

Targeson’s commercial product line currently includes Targestar^®-P, a non-targeted ultrasound contrast agent designed to enhance contrast in the vasculature and can be used to image and quantify blood flow and vascular function. Targestar® SA, a targetable ultrasound contrast agent coated with streptavidin, enables conjugation of a vast array of targeting ligands by the user quickly and conveniently in one step. This agent can be used for diverse molecular imaging applications including tumor angiogenesis, myocardial infarction, atherosclerotic plaque, thrombosis, organ transplant rejection, and inflammatory bowel disease and other inflammatory disorders.

Visistar^® Integrin is the next generation contrast agent for imaging angiogenesis. Visistar Integrin is a ready-to-use agent consisting of microbubbles coated with a specific ligand that selectively binds Alpha_vBeta₃ integrin on endothelial surfaces. Alpha_vBeta₃ integrin is a well-recognized biomarker of angiogenesis expressed on activated endothelial cells.

For further information please contact 877-290-4043/858-427-3675 or products@targeson.com

Targestar and Visistar are trademarks of Targeson Inc.

La Jolla, CA – August 17, 2009 – Targeson announced the introduction of Visistar® Integrin, a targeted ultrasound contrast agent for use in preclinical drug discovery and basic science research. Visistar® Integrin is a novel microbubble contrast agent bearing a covalently coupled peptide that selectively binds alpha-v beta-3 integrin on the vascular endothelial surface. The alpha-v beta-3 integrin is a well-recognized biomarker of angiogenesis expressed on activated blood vessels. The contrast agent will be useful for scientists investigating the cellular/molecular mechanisms of angiogenesis, engaged in molecular imaging of integrin expression, and for researchers developing anti-cancer therapy who need to detect angiogenesis and visualize regions of tumor growth. Visistar® Integrin can be used with most clinical and pre-clinical ultrasound scanners. Agent echogenicity is optimal at ultrasound frequencies in 1-20 MHz range, and ultra-high frequency imaging (20-40 MHz) is also possible.

Targeson plans to develop a series of contrast agents in the Visistar® product line, with each product bearing covalently-bound ligands specific for molecular markers of disease. The Visistar agents represent a significant advance in ultrasound contrast agent design, as the formulation enables administration directly from the vial and eliminates the need for user conjugation of targeting molecules. Additionally, the Visistar agents utilize a biocompatible coupling chemistry, which eliminates the need for biotin/streptavidin conjugation reagents.

Targeted contrast ultrasound imaging has emerged as an important molecular imaging modality, as it provides a convenient and noninvasive technique for characterizing and evaluating biological processes in vivo. In tumor settings, ultrasound molecular imaging is being used increasingly to provide insight into expression levels of target proteins and to facilitate monitoring responses to therapeutic interventions. Targeson’s targeted contrast agent products enable researchers to expand the use of existing ultrasound scanners into molecular and functional imaging.

About Targeson

Targeson, Inc. (www.targeson.com) develops, manufactures, and markets ultrasound imaging agents for preclinical functional and molecular imaging applications. The company’s contrast agent technologies enable researchers to quantify microvascular perfusion and characterize diseases at the molecular level using portable and cost-efficient ultrasound ultrasound imaging. Targeson also currently offers:

Targestar®-P, a non-targeted ultrasound contrast agent designed to enhance contrast in the vasculature and can be used to image and quantify blood flow and vascular function.

Targestar®-SA, a targeted ultrasound contrast agent coated with streptavidin, enabling conjugation of a vast array of targeting ligands to the agent using standard biotin-avidin coupling chemistry. It can be used for diverse molecular imaging applications, including tumor angiogenesis, myocardial infarction, atherosclerosis and cardiovascular plaque, thrombosis, organ transplant rejection, and inflammatory bowel disease and other inflammatory disorders.

La Jolla, CA – August 1, 2009- Targeson announced the introduction of Targestar^TM SA, a targeted ultrasound contrast agent for use in preclinical drug discovery and basic science research. Targestar SA agents are echogenic lipid microbubbles bearing streptavidin on the shell surface. Targestar SA enables a convenient, single step conjugation of biotinylated antibodies, peptides or small molecules specific for molecular markers of disease.  The agent is useful for diverse ultrasound molecular imaging applications such as tumor angiogenesis, myocardial infarction, thrombosis, atherosclerosis and other preclinical models of disease. Targestar SA can be used with most clinical and research ultrasound scanners. Agent echogenicity is optimal at ultrasound frequencies in the 1-20 MHz range, and ultra-high frequency imaging (20-40 MHz) is also possible.

Contrast ultrasound imaging is emerging as an effective imaging technique in basic science and the drug discovery process. This imaging method is inexpensive, portable, and permits anatomical and functional imaging in real time. Targeted molecular imaging provides a convenient and noninvasive technique for characterizing biological processes in vivo and monitoring responses to therapeutic interventions. Targeson’s targeted contrast agent products enable researchers to expand the use of existing ultrasound scanners into molecular and functional imaging. 

About Targeson

Targeson, Inc. (www.targeson.com) develops, manufactures, and markets ultrasound imaging agents for preclinical functional and molecular imaging applications. The company’s contrast agent technologies enable researchers to quantify microvascular perfusion and characterize diseases at the molecular level using portable and cost-efficient ultrasound ultrasound imaging. Targeson also currently offers:

Targestar-P, a non-targeted ultrasound contrast agent designed to enhance contrast in the vasculature and can be used to image and quantify blood flow and vascular function.

Targestar-B, a targeted ultrasound contrast agent coated with biotin, enabling conjugation of a vast array of targeting ligands to the agent using standard biotin-avidin coupling chemistry. It can be used for diverse molecular imaging applications, including tumor angiogenesis, myocardial infarction, atherosclerosis and cardiovascular plaque, thrombosis, organ transplant rejection, and inflammatory bowel disease and other inflammatory disorders. 

Charlottesville, VA – Feb 1, 2009 – Targeson announced today that it has been awarded a Phase I small business innovation research (SBIR) award from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), a division of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This project, to be led by Targeson Vice President for Research Dr. Joshua (Jack) Rychak, aims to develop an ultrasound-mediated therapy for delivery of therapeutics to the diabetic kidney. The project builds on Targeson’s proprietary targeted microbubble platform. Research will be performed in conjunction with Dr. Kumar Sharma, Director of Translational Research in Kidney Disease and Professor of Medicine at the University of California, San Diego.

About Targeson

Targeson, Inc., (www.targeson.com), develops, manufactures, and markets ultrasound imaging agents for preclinical functional and molecular imaging applications. The company’s contrast agent technologies enable researchers to quantify microvascular perfusion and characterize diseases at the molecular level using portable and cost-efficient ultrasound ultrasound imaging.

Charlottesville, VA – Sept 28, 2008 – Targeson announced that it has received notice of award of a Phase I small business innovation research (SBIR) award from the National Cancer Institute (NCI), a division of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The goal of the project is to develop a novel ultrasound contrast agent for molecular imaging of angiogenesis in tumor tissues. Angiogenesis is an essential component of tumor growth and elicits distinctive molecular characteristics in angiogenic endothelial cells. The molecular diversity of angiogenic endothelial cells provides an avenue for delivering targeted contrast agents specifically to the tumor vasculature. Targeson aims to utilize its expertise in contrast agent targeting to generate an ultrasound probe bearing covalently-bound ligands specific for multiple molecular markers of angiogenesis.  The agent will expand upon Targeson’s current product line, Targestar™, by enabling direct-from-vial administration of contrast agents and eliminating the need for user conjugation to targeting molecules.

According to Targeson VP for Product Development, Christopher Anderson, PhD, “We are developing a highly efficient and easy to use product for detecting and demarcating angiogenic tumors in the setting of basic science and drug discovery research. A multi-targeted contrast agent will be useful for scientists evaluating the development of tumors over time and for researchers developing anti-cancer therapy, who need to detect angiogenesis and visualize the regions of tumor growth.”

Molecular imaging has emerged as an essential tool in cancer research, and ultrasound is an emerging molecular imaging technique. Ultrasound currently has a significant footprint in cancer research, although these systems are primarily used for anatomical imaging. Targeson’s targeted contrast agent products enable researchers to expand the use of existing ultrasound scanners into molecular and functional imaging. The Company is focused upon developing contrast agents for molecular imaging of tumor angiogenesis, as well as inflammatory disorders, such as inflammatory bowel disease and atherosclerosis. About Targeson

Targeson, LLC is an early-stage biotechnology company active in the field of ultrasound contrast imaging. The Company has developed two contrast agent formulations, currently available for preclinical functional and molecular imaging applications. Targeson is headquartered in Charlottesville, VA. For more information, visit www.targeson.com.

Targeson has developed two microbubble contrast agents that can be used for molecular and functional imaging using ultrasound. Targeson’s agents are lipid-encapsulated perfluorocarbon microbubbles with a mean diameter of 2.5 um, can be used in a wide variety of animal models, and are compatible with virtually all ultrasound scanners. Click here to learn more about Targeson’s products and applications (must have Flash Player installed).