A Medical Device Daily
Imagin Molecular (Oak Brook, Illinois) has unveiled plans to own, operate and administer what it calls coronary artery disease (CAD) reversal and prevention outpatient centers that utilize positron emission tomography (PET) and PET/CT (computed tomography) scanning equipment.
Imagin Molecular said its wholly owned Imagin Nuclear Partners subsidiary has targeted 20 key markets in which it will joint venture with an existing cardiology group or open a freestanding center around an active cholesterol management program.
Currently Imagin Nuclear Partners is in negotiations with five imaging centers to form such joint ventures.
The company said its focus is on offering a non-surgical CAD reversal program that is guided by non-invasive imaging. Imagin cited its “evidence-based solution for the cost containment of CAD detection and treatment,“ based on PET diagnostics as a primary modality.
It said that through its association with Positron (Houston), it is able deliver a less-expensive PET and PET/ CT that Imagin said “eliminates a major barrier to entry for the CAD reversal and prevention centers.“
In a statement, the company said its “full solution“ would facilitate “widespread clinical acceptance.“
Imagin Nuclear Partners said it believes the CAD reversal and prevention center market totals more than 7,000 community hospitals and private imaging partners that would benefit from its methodology and solution.
Joseph Oliverio, Imagin Molecular CEO, cited what he characterized as “the proven model of Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center , which demonstrated the ability of positron emission tomography to provide the necessary competitive advantage solution of detecting and guiding the management of coronary disease differently than equal and larger-sized hospital competition.“
Oliverio said he looks forward to duplicating that mod-el, adding: “I believe that other markets will embrace our proven cost savings methodology, which also has been shown to improve patient outcomes.“
He also serves as president of Positron, a manufacturer of PET devices, and previously was chief operating officer of Heart Center of Niagara , a private PET practice owned by Michael Merhige, MD, operating within Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center.
Cited by Oliverio as “one of the country's most successful coronary disease reversal and prevention centers,“ Heart Center of Niagara and will be Imagin Nuclear Partners' model center.
Imagin Nuclear Partners has purchased a PET camera from Positron for its initial joint venture at a cardiac center located within Beth Israel Medical Center (New York).
It also reported that it had executed a sales agreement with Bracco Diagnostics (Princeton, New Jersey) to provide rubidium, an essential isotope for cardiac PET scanning. The finalization of INP's operations is subject to the execution of definitive agreements with the center and the consent and approval of Beth Israel.