GastroMARK® belongs to the negative oral contrast agents (same as Lumirem®, another brand name for ferumoxsil). GastroMARK® is used to distinguish the loops of the bowel from other abdominal structures and physiology. When GastroMARK® is ingested, it flows through and darkens the stomach and the small intestine in 30 to 45 minutes. By more clearly identifying the intestinal loops, GastroMARK® improves visualization of adjacent abdominal tissues such as the pancreas.

Lumirem® belongs to the negative oral contrast agents (same as GastroMARK®, another brand name for ferumoxsil). Lumirem® is used to distinguish the loops of the bowel from other abdominal structures and physiology. When Lumirem® is ingested, it flows through and darkens the stomach and the small intestine in 30 to 45 minutes. By more clearly identifying the intestinal loops, Lumirem® improves visualization of adjacent abdominal tissues such as the pancreas.
Additionally, in Europe Lumirem® is approved for rectal administration to delineate the lower intestinal system.

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.

Short name: NC100150, PEG-feron, generic name: Feruglose, preliminary trade name: Clariscan™
NC100150 injection is the code name for an USPIO (ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron oxide) MRI contrast agent under development. Microvessel permeability depends on functional and morphologic characteristics of cancer vessels and on physicochemical properties of the injected contrast medium molecule.
USPIO particles have a favorable pharmacological and tolerance profile and are being tested clinically of the potential for the quantitative characterization of tumor microvasculature and specifically for measures of the microvessel permeability. Iron-based products take advantage of their large molecular size, which prevents diffusion into body tissues. These agents are disposed of by the liver and spleen as particulate matter.
NC100150 Injection (Nycomed Amersham, Amersham Health ) consists of USPIO particles that are composed of single crystals (4- to 7-nm diameter) and stabilized with a carbohydrate polyethylene glycol (PEG) coat. The iron oxide particles have to be suspended in an isotonic glucose solution. The final diameter of an USPIO particle is approximately 20 nm. Blood pool half-life is more than two hours in humans; the particles are taken up by the mononuclear phagocyte system and distributed mainly to the liver and spleen.
NC100150 would compete with the contrast agents Ferumoxytol from AMAG Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Vasovist™ from EPIX Pharmaceuticals, Inc., but at this time the development of NC100150 Injection/Clariscan™ is discontinued.

Sinerem® is the brand name (same as Combidex®) for an ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron oxide (USPIO) to detect metastatic disease in lymph nodes. Metastatic nodes show less uptake of this MRI contrast agent, which results in less signal decrease and allows the differentiation of normal lymph nodes from normal-sized, metastatic nodes.
Lymph node imaging with Sinerem® is performed 24 to 36 hours after slow infusion. Normal lymph nodes turn black post contrast, namely on T2* weighted images. Metastatic lymph nodes remain unchanged in signal intensity.
Indication and Diseases: Cancer, Imaging for diagnosis, Lymphatic disorders.
See Ferumoxtran, and Classifications, Characteristics, etc.

Guerbet decided in 2007 to withdraw its Marketing Authorisation Application (MAA) for Sinerem.