Bristol-Myers Gets Rights to Thermographic Catheter

The worldwide rights to a novel intracoronary thermographic catheter system designed to detect vulnerable plaque by mapping temperature variations inside the coronary arteries have been acquired by Bristol-Myers Squibb Medical Imaging (N. Billerica, MA, USA) from Thermocore Medical Ltd. (Guildford, UK). Financial terms were not disclosed.

When vulnerable plaque ruptures, it can trigger the formation of blood clots that, in turn, can obstruct blood flow to the heart muscle and lead to a heart attack or sudden cardiac death. The catheter system provides a thermal imaging map of the interior of coronary arteries by incorporating a series of sensitive temperature sensors into the distal end of the catheter system. Mapping of these temperature differentials could potentially identify and localize plaque before it ruptures and creates blood clots.

The initial development work on the catheter system was done by Thermocore Medical. Under the agreement, Bristol-Myers Squibb Medical Imaging has the worldwide rights to develop, manufacture, and commercialize Thermocore's proprietary platform technology and its thermographic catheter system.

"Thermocore's novel technology platform could represent an important advance in the identification and characterization of vulnerable plaque in the coronary arteries,” noted Cory Zwerling, president, Bristol-Myers Squibb Medical Imaging. "We are looking forward to further defining the potential of this promising technology in hopes of facilitating earlier intervention and improved outcomes for patients at risk.”




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