A Medical Device Daily

ProUroCare Medical (Minneapolis) said it has acquired a "broad array" of mechanical imaging technology patents owned by Profile, covering prostate and breast imaging applications and the basis of the ProUroScan prostate imaging system that is in development, the company said.

Previously ProUroCare had licensed the patents. The company said that acquiring the patents would ensure that current and future versions of its ProUroScan would have intellectual property protection.

In addition to eliminating licensing royalties, the company said that acquisition of the patents will give it the freedom to pursue additional applications where imaging soft tissue organs may provide a diagnostic or therapeutic benefit to patients.

"The acquisition of this intellectual property is one more strategic milestone for the company as it positions itself for future growth and commercialization of mechanical imaging technologies," said Rick Carlson, ProUroCare's CEO.

ProUroCare develops mechanical imaging technology applications intended to improve detection and active surveillance of prostate disease.

In other patent activity: LinkMed (Stockholm, Sweden) said its portfolio company, AbSorber (Stockholm), has been granted a patent in the U.S. for an AB0 column that the company is developing to facilitate transplantations between individuals of different blood groups. The patent concerns a molecule that is being developed to adsorb antibodies and is a substance patent, the company said.

"AbSorber is carrying out exciting research and a strong intellectual property rights position is a prerequisite for the commercial success of this research," said Ingemar Lagerlöf, CEO of LinkMed. "Being granted a patent in the U.S. is therefore an important development step."

According to the company, the AB0 column facilitates transplantations between individuals of different blood groups by cleaning the blood from antibodies directed against the blood group antigen. The treatment is called adsorption and is similar to dialysis, LinkMed noted. Due to organ deficit, many patients have to wait several years to receive one. Today, patients must undergo treatment on numerous occasions in order to reduce the number of antibodies to a manageable level.

When an organ is donated by a living donor, the donor is often a relative, LinkMed said. The company says that the number of organ donations from relatives could be increased significantly by facilitating transplantations between individuals of different blood groups.

AbSorber said it plans to continue product development and carry out clinical trials with the AB0 column in 2009.