The Liposome Company Inc. has presented new evidence thatits method of encapsulating contrast agents will prove morepowerful than existing ways to visualize liver cancer.

Researchers from the Princeton, N.J., company described dataobtained from animal tests last week at Contrast MediaResearch '91. The imaging method encapsulates contrast mediain lipid vesicles that are taken up by the liver's Kupfer cellsand remain there long enough to allow more detailed scans,which could show smaller metastases, according to Marc J.Ostro, vice chairman and chief scientific officer.

The Liposome Company (NASDAQ:LIPO) has a licensingagreement with Schering AG of Germany to develop thecontrast agent, which is called interdigitation-fusiontechnology.

Schering did not ask for studies of animals with tumors sincethe results in healthy animals demonstrated enoughenhancement to convince radiologists that the method willoutperform available contrast media, Ostro said.

The Liposome Company has filed for patents for the newprocess and products developed with it, he said. Ostroestimates that trials could begin by the end of next year.

-- Roberta Friedman, Ph.D. Special to BioWorld

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