MRI-Related Patents Issued to Biophan

(Rochester, NY, USA) has two new U.S patents issued to the company, while one U.S. patent has been issued to Nanoset, LLC (East Rochester, NY, USA), a technology collaborator that has granted Biophan exclusive worldwide medical rights to the patent.

These newly issued patents increase Biophan's intellectual property portfolio to 144 U.S. patients, applications, or licenses. "These patents can provide improved capabilities to a wide variety of devices, increasing the technologies we have to offer,” said Michael Weiner, CEO of Biophan. "This fits with our strategy of providing enabling technology to many device manufacturers.”

One patent covers cardiac-assist devices designed to be compatible with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), when MRI signals are detected, so that the communications circuit between the heart and the device can be interrupted, to avoid the possible hazards of tissue heating and induced voltages. Sensing the MRI unit's excitation signal by use of an opto-electronic device is covered by this patent. This is one of several approaches to address the problems of MRI safety and cardiac-assist devices such as defibrillators and pacemakers.

"In [another patent,] we teach how to convert electrical information, including radio waves, into optical signals to move them along an optical fiber, when used in conjunction with MRI,” Mr. Weiner added. "MRI provides the advantage of superior tissue imaging with no exposure to potentially harmful ionizing radiation. The technology also has potential applications for oncology, diabetes, and other diseases.”

The third patent covers almost any medical conductor, including a defibrillator, pacemaker, or neurostimulator lead, that includes nonmagnetic coatings and is designed to be flexible.

Biophan recently completed a licensing agreement and received an equity investment from Boston Scientific (Natick, MA, USA). Under the agreement, Boston Scientific receives specific licensing rights within certain product categories to these and other Biophan and Nanoset patents.



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