MS-325 is the formerly code name of gadofosveset trisodium (new trade name Vasovist). MS-325 belongs to a new class of blood pool agents for magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) to diagnose vascular disease. Gadofosveset trisodium has ten times the signal-enhancing power of existing contrast agents as well as prolonged retention in the blood. This enables the rapid acquisition of high resolution MRA's using standard MRI machines.
Gadofosveset trisodium, which is gadolinium-based, stays in the blood stream as a result of transient binding to albumin. Albumin binding offers an additional benefit beyond localization in the blood pool. The contrast agent begins to spin much more slowly, at the rate albumin spins, causing a relaxivity gain that produces a substantially brighter signal than would be possible with freely circulating gadolinium. MS-325 is an intravascular contrast agent intended for use in MRI as an aid in diagnosing aortoiliac occlusive disease in patients with known or suspected peripheral vascular disease (PVD) or abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA).
Currently clinical trials completed for peripheral vascular disease and coronary artery disease. Additional trials are also being conducted to evaluate MS-325 as an aid in diagnosing breast cancer and suggested that it might be feasible to combine the use of MS-325, injected during peak stress, with delayed high-resolution imaging to identify myocardial perfusion defects.
Vasovist (MS-325) would compete with the contrast agents Ferumoxytol (Code 7228) from AMAG Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and NC100150 Injection from Nycomed Amersham, but their further development is uncertain.
Partners in development: EPIX Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Mallinckrodt Inc., and Bayer Schering Pharma AG. Bayer Schering Pharma has the worldwide marketing rights for the product.
Formerly known under the Mallinckrodt trademark name, AngioMARK®.

See also Classifications, Characteristics, etc.

Nitroxide radicals (or nitroxyl spin labels) are stable organic compounds with theoretical potential for use as a paramagnetic MRI contrast agent. Similar to gadolinium they have an unpaired electron, a property that provides enhancement in T1 based MRI, and a comparable pharmacokinetic. Depending on their structure and chemical bonding, different nitroxides formula may have the potential for use as cardiovascular imaging agents, to enhance the MR imaging on joints (e.g., dendrimer-linked nitroxides have a strong affinity for cartilage), to evaluate brain tumors and infarction, and as a contrast enhancement agent of body/abdominal NMR imaging. Nitroxides are rapidly enzymatically reduced in tissues to products that do not enhance the NMR signal, which can be a problem for MR imaging. In animal experiments with EPRI (electron paramagnetic resonance imaging), tissue redox studies show differences between tumors and normal tissues, which reflect their respective redox status consistent with the reduction/clearance of nitroxides.

Perflubron® is a perfluorochemical for use as an oral contrast agent. Due to its insolubility in water it does not mix with intestinal secretions; thus bowel lumina appear homogeneously dark on MR images when Perflubron® replaces bowel contents. Filled bowel loops appear black with all pulse sequences because the contrast agent lacks mobile protons.
It is commercially available as Imagent GI. Because rapid transit through the gastrointestinal tract it reaches the rectum within 30 to 40 minutes in most patients. MR imaging of the upper abdominal region should begin within 15 minutes and of the pelvic region 15 to 60 minutes after ingestion of perflubron.

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Short name: CMC 001, central moiety: Mn2+
CMC 001 is an orally administered MRI contrast agent in development for enhancement of the liver, bile ducts and gastrointestinal tract. Applications are screening of liver tumors/metastases, imaging of the biliary tract and it could be suitable for liver function studies by following the metabolism and excretion of manganese in the liver cells. Several advantages like better images, higher safety, lower costs and less inconvenience for the patient can be expected.
Animal experiments and clinical studies in humans Phase I and Phase II A, have shown excellent contrast enhancing properties with only minimal adverse effects. CMC 001 is under development by the Medicon Valley based CMC Contrast AB to receive a cost effective, safe and highly diagnostic MR contrast medium for abdominal MR imaging. Clinical studies in Phase III are started.