May 31, 2016
Pioneering kidney imaging collaboration
Antaros Medical, Sahlgrenska University Hospital (SU) and AstraZeneca have today
announced a pioneering kidney imaging collaboration aiming to develop new tools to treat
chronic kidney disease (CKD).
The collaboration partners will work together on a study to examine a range of imaging
endpoints in patients with CKD. The aim is to determine which imaging biomarkers are best
suited to follow CKD progression in clinical trials of new drugs to treat CKD.
Johannes Hulthe, CEO Antaros Medical, commented: “We are very proud to work together
with specialists from Sahlgrenska University Hospital and AstraZeneca to pursue new
treatments for patients suffering from CKD. This collaboration is a great example of mutual
exchange, and the way the BioVentureHub is facilitating interactions and innovation to
strengthen the life science ecosystem in Sweden.”
Elisabeth Björk, Site Lead & VP, Global Medicines Development Unit, Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disease,
AstraZeneca, said: “10% of the population worldwide is affected by chronic kidney disease, and millions die each
year because they do not have access to affordable treatment. This imaging study will help us to improve clinical
trials in this area. It is the fruit of a great scientific collaboration and a growing mass of research in Västra
Götaland around kidney disease.”
Both the Nephrology and Radiology departments at SU are deeply involved in the trial and the principle
investigator of this study, Seema Baid-Agrawal, MD, FASN, Assoc. Prof. at Nephrology department, SU, added:
“We are excited about this academia-industry collaboration within the field of CKD. The study will help identify
novel non-invasive and sensitive biomarkers to assess kidney function and monitor the progression of the disease
in patients with CKD, which would be of a high clinical relevance. Sahlgrenska University Hospital with its great
infrastructure and competence provides an ideal set up for this kind of study.”
This collaboration is supported and facilitated by the medical technology research platform MedTech West.
About Antaros Medical
Antaros Medical is a unique drug development innovator based in the BioventureHub at AstraZenca Gothenburg
and in Uppsala, Sweden. Antaros Medical is pioneering new frontiers in innovative MRI and PET imaging
techniques, leading to improved, evidence-based decision making in clinical drug development. Antaros
Medical’s clients are spread across the globe and develop new treatments for patients suffering primarily from
cardiovascular and metabolic diseases.
Learn more at: www.antarosmedical.com
For more information, please contact [email protected]
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About AstraZeneca
AstraZeneca is a global, innovation-driven biopharmaceutical business that focuses on the discovery,
development and commercialisation of prescription medicines, primarily for the treatment of diseases in three
main therapy areas - respiratory, inflammation, autoimmune disease (RIA), cardiovascular and metabolic disease
(CVMD) and oncology – as well as in infection and neuroscience. AstraZeneca operates in over 100 countries and
its innovative medicines are used by millions of patients worldwide.
For more information, please visit: www.astrazeneca.com
Contact: Jacob Lund, +46 8 553 260 20, or +46 72-560 21 57
About Sahlgrenska University Hospital
Nephrology: Seema Baid-Agrawal, Gert Jensen, Kianoush Makvandi, Aso Saeed
Radiology: Stephan Maier, Mikael Hellström, Henrik Leonhardt, Tim Unnerstall
In Swedish only: Sahlgrenska Universitetssjukhuset har sin verksamhet i göteborgsområdet i Västra Götalandsregionen. Med runt 16 000 medarbetare, 1,3 miljoner vårdtillfällen, varav 1,2 miljoner öppenvårdsbesök och
192 000 akutbesök är Sahlgrenska Universitetssjukhuset ett av de största sjukhusen i Europa. Sjukhuset är
göteborgarnas sjukhus och specialistsjukhuset i Västra Götalandsregionen. Samtidigt tar det emot patienter från
hela landet för att utföra särskilda avancerade ingrepp och behandlingar. Vissa av dessa är så kallade
rikssjukvårdsuppdrag där Socialstyrelsen utsett sjukhuset att, som en av två vårdgivare, ombesörja vården av
patienter från hela landet. Av elva rikssjukvårdsuppdrag har Sahlgrenska Universitetssjukhuset sju, vilket är flest
i landet. En nära kontakt, geografiskt och personellt, med Sahlgrenska akademin vid Göteborgs universitet,
Chalmers med flera skapar goda förutsättningar för ett fruktsamt forskningsklimat där nya rön kan testas kliniskt
och införas på bred front.
For more information, visit: www.sahlgrenska.se
About MedTechWest
MedTech West is a network and collaborative platform for research, education, development and evaluation of
new biomedical concepts and technologies. We initiate, facilitate and promote increased research collaboration
between the health care sector, industry and academia in West Sweden. MedTech West is a joint venture funded
in 2009 by Chalmers University of Technology, University of Gothenburg, Region Västra Götaland and University
of Borås. MedTech West is partially financed by European Union Regional Development Fund.
For more information, visit: www.medtechwest.se
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