A liposomal composition (“ADx-001”) is provided, ADx-001 comprising a first phospholipid; a sterically bulky excipient that is capable of stabilizing the liposomal composition; a second phospholipid that is derivatized with a first polymer; a macrocyclic gadolinium-based imaging agent; and a third phospholipid that is derivatized with a second polymer, the second polymer being conjugated to a targeting ligand. The macrocyclic gadolinium-based imaging agent may be conjugated to a fourth phospholipid.

The present disclosure provides method of making a nanoparticle complex wherein the nanoparticle complex comprises a ligand and a metal cation. The disclosure also provides nanoparticle complexes, methods of treating a disease in a patient utilizing the nanoparticle complexes, methods of identifying a disease in a patient utilizing the nanoparticle complexes, and kits involving the nanoparticle complexes.

The invention relates to novel biocompatible hybrid nanoparticles of very small size, useful in particular for diagnostics and/or therapy. The purpose of the invention is to offer novel nanoparticles which are useful in particular as contrast agents in imaging (e.g. MRI) and/or in other diagnostic techniques and/or as therapeutic agents, which give better performance than the known nanoparticles of the same type and which combine both a small size (for example less than 20 nm) and a high loading with metals (e.g. rare earths), in particular so as to have, in imaging (e.g. MRI), strong intensification and a correct response (increased relaxivity) at high frequencies. The method for the production of these nanoparticles and the applications thereof in imaging and in therapy also form part of the invention.

Methods and apparatus for the study of gastrointestinal transit in a human or animal subject. The method being for the study of a subject which has previously ingested a container containing first and second fluids that are detectable and distinguishable by MRI, which method comprises the steps of forming a first magnetic resonance image of at least a portion of the subject's GI tract in which the container is located, wherein the magnetizations of the first and second fluids are in-phase; forming a second magnetic resonance image, coincident with the first image, wherein the magnetizations of the first and second fluids are out-of-phase; and subtracting the second image from the first image, or vice versa, to form a composite image.

Methods and apparatus for the study of gastrointestinal transit in a human or animal subject. The method being for the study of a subject which has previously ingested a container containing first and second fluids that are detectable and distinguishable by MRI, which method comprises the steps of forming a first magnetic resonance image of at least a portion of the subject's GI tract in which the container is located, wherein the magnetizations of the first and second fluids are in-phase; forming a second magnetic resonance image, coincident with the first image, wherein the magnetizations of the first and second fluids are out-of-phase; and subtracting the second image from the first image, or vice versa, to form a composite image.

The invention relates to the use of biocompatible superparamagnetic nanoparticles comprising an inorganic core and a coating including an electrically charged polymer, and having low tissue and vascular adhesion, for use as contrast agents in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The aforementioned nanoparticles have novel pharmacokinetic and relaxability T2* properties, with high potential for use in in vivo tissue imaging and tumour perfusion strategies based on parameter T2*.

A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) T1 contrast agent composition including T1 contrast material coated on the surface of a nanoparticle support and an imaging method using the MRI T1 contrast agent. The MRI T1 contrast agent composition has excellent T1 spin magnetic relaxation effects by modifying the paramagnetic T1 contrast material on the nanoparticle support having a certain diameter such that the paramagnetic T1 contrast material has a certain thickness or less, and thereby remarkably increasing the surface-to-volume ratio of the T1 contrast material. The MRI T1 contrast agent provides more precise and clear T1 positive contrast images, and is thus useful for highly reliable image diagnosis.

Nanoparticles for use as a contrast agent, and methods for making and using the nanoparticles, are described, wherein each nanoparticle comprises a core comprising bismuth and iron oxide, and an outer coating (e.g., dextran) surrounding the core. The bismuth-iron oxide nanoparticles can be used in pre-clinical and clinical settings for both computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging.

A rod-shaped plant virus having an interior surface and an exterior surface, and at least one imaging agent that is linked to the interior and/or exterior surface is described. The rod-shaped viruses can be combined into larger spherical nanoparticles. A rod-shaped plant virus or spherical nanoparticles including an imaging agent can be used in a method of generating an image of a tissue region of a subject such as a tumor or atherosclerotic tissue by administering the virus particle to the subject and generating an image of the tissue region of the subject to which the virus particle has been distributed.

A method for preparing an aqueous dispersion of metal oxide particles is disclosed. The method comprises the step of performing phase transfer of a plurality of metal oxide particles capped with hydrophobic ligands on a surface there of by contacting the metal oxide particles with a combination of tertiary amine and water to form a biphasic mixture, and agitating said biphasic mixture to produce an aqueous dispersion of metal oxide particles capped with hydrophobic ligands and tertiary amine ligands on the surface thereof.