Summary: GE HealthCare’s Phase I trial for a new manganese-based MRI contrast agent found it to be well-tolerated and a possible safer alternative to gadolinium-based agents, addressing safety and environmental concerns while offering similar imaging capabilities.

Key Takeaways

  1. GE HealthCare’s new manganese-based MRI contrast agent completed Phase I trials, showing it to be well-tolerated without serious side effects.
  2. The manganese-based agent offers similar imaging capabilities to gadolinium-based agents but is naturally eliminated from the body, addressing concerns about gadolinium retention and environmental impact.
  3. The trial was conducted at Oslo University Hospital and partially funded by the Norwegian Research Council.

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GE HealthCare has completed its Phase I clinical trial for a new manganese-based macrocyclic MRI contrast agent. The study found the agent to be well-tolerated, with no serious adverse events or dose-limiting toxicities, as presented at the 2024 Contrast Media Research symposium in Oslo, Norway​

MRI contrast agents are typically gadolinium-based, enhancing visualization of abnormal tissues. This new manganese-based agent offers similar imaging capabilities but uses a naturally occurring element that is efficiently eliminated from the body, providing a potentially safer alternative to gadolinium. This addresses concerns about gadolinium retention and its environmental impact​.

Encouraging Phase I Results

Paul Evans, PhD, head of global R&D at GE HealthCare, says, “These are encouraging Phase I results for this manganese-based contrast agent and we look forward to completing the next steps in the clinical development process.”​

Robert J. McDonald, MD, PhD, a radiologist at the Mayo Clinic and a member of the Contrast Media Safety Committee Board for the American College of Radiology, also spoke out about the clinical trial results, commenting: “GE HealthCare’s manganese-based contrast agent could offer benefits such as reduced risk of tissue deposition and improved safety for certain vulnerable patient populations compared to gadolinium-based agents, while also providing comparable imaging capabilities and potentially lower environmental impact.”​

The trial was conducted at Oslo University Hospital, partially funded by the Norwegian Research Council. This agent was developed in Oslo, highlighting Norway’s legacy in diagnostic imaging innovation​.