Imaging Biometrics Ltd (LSE:IBAI, OTCQB:IQAIF) has partnered with MedImageMetric to bring a new MRI tool, designed to detect subtle brain changes linked to disease, into wider clinical use.
The agreement will see Imaging Biometrics commercialise QSMetric, a patented and US Food and Drug Administration-cleared technology that measures how tissue responds to magnetic fields.
Known as quantitative susceptibility mapping, or QSM, the technique can reveal biochemical changes often invisible to conventional scans.
By quantifying iron deposits, microbleeds, calcification and damage to myelin, the protective sheath around nerve fibres, QSMetric can give doctors sharper insights into a range of conditions.
These include Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases, multiple sclerosis, traumatic brain injury, tumours and psychiatric disorders. The software will be sold as an annual licence.
“This agreement brings together MIM’s innovation and IB’s commercialisation strength to accelerate access to a powerful, clinically validated imaging solution,” said Dr Yi Wang, president of MedImageMetric.
The partners also plan to develop additional applications, such as combining QSMetric with other imaging technologies for cancer and vascular diseases, and building artificial intelligence tools that could guide treatment decisions.
A recent study in Radiology highlighted how QSM can measure iron-related pathology, helping predict cognitive decline.
With regulators prioritising MRI monitoring in patients on new Alzheimer’s drugs, Imaging Biometrics said QSMetric’s ability to detect microhaemorrhages and iron build-up made it a valuable tool for clinics and trial sponsors.
“QSMetric is a perfect complement to our portfolio of advanced imaging solutions,” said Michael Schmainda, chief executive of Imaging Biometrics.