Nanovesicles as Magnetic resonance Imaging contrast agents

Next-generation metal-free magnetic resonance imaging contrast agents, based on Quatsome-type nanovesicles loaded with organic radicals.

Market need: Gadolinium-based contrast agents are essential in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), but they present significant limitations, such as their accumulation in different tissues (brain, liver, etc.) and the risk of causing serious complications in patients with renal impairment.
Moreover, these agents are not suitable for repeated analyses over time, as cumulative exposure increases the risk of retention and toxicity.
A possible alternative is the use of organic radicals, such as nitroxyl radicals; however, these exhibit low relaxivity and are rapidly reduced in the body, thereby losing their paramagnetic activity.

Proposed solution: Quatsome-type nanovesicle platform incorporating stable nitroxyl radicals as MRI contrast agents. These nanovesicles accommodate a high radical payload while maintaining paramagnetic activity, resulting in enhanced MRI contrast efficiency.
The system exhibits high stability, water compatibility, and a highly homogeneous structure, achieved through a simple, reproducible, and environmentally friendly preparation method.
This innovation provides a metal-free contrast agent with great potential for soft tissue imaging and other applications that require high-resolution MRI contrast without the risks associated with gadolinium.

Competitive advantages