Biophan issued new patent for solution to enhance image quality of magnetic resonance imaging

Biophan Technologies has announced that the U.S. Patent No. 6,902,290 has been granted to the Company. The patent teaches the placement of an electronic sensor within medical devices that can offset the image artifacts that interfere with the quality of MRI imaging.

The new patent supports Biophan’s strategy of aggressive expansion of its intellectual property portfolio with proprietary solutions covering opportunities across several multi-billion-dollar segments of the healthcare and biomedical device marketplace.

The Company’s intellectual property portfolio currently comprises 127 U.S. issued or pending patents and 46 international issued or pending patents, representing a commanding industry lead.

"This patent is part of our technology suite for making medical devices safe and compatible for operation with MRI imaging,” said Michael Weiner, CEO of Biophan. "To the best of our knowledge, we hold directly or through exclusive licenses, the vast majority of the issued patents that address the safety and the image compatibility between MRI systems and implantable and interventional medical devices. This allows us to supply manufacturers with a toolkit of solutions to resolve the MRI-safety and image-quality problems inherent in many medical devices, both on the market and on the drawing boards.”

Biophan’s mission is to improve medical devices and offer them to strategic partners to impact their market share, producing revenue and profit for Biophan shareholders.

“This recently issued patent results from Biophan’s conviction that solving the MRI safety problem alone is not sufficient,” said Mr. Weiner. “The patent teaches modifying the circuitry of devices such as pacemakers to improve their compatibility with MRI. This is an extension to our technology suite, which includes an RF filter licensed from Johns Hopkins University, and anti-antenna geometry modifications that are placed in the wire lead connecting the implantable device to tissue for sensing or therapeutic function."

A growing body of published medical research is drawing attention to the need for improved safety and visualization of MRI imaging with these devices. Leading medical device makers, such as Medtronic Inc. (NYSE: MDT) and Guidant Corp. (NYSE: GDT), as well as the FDA, have all publicly expressed the need for technology solutions that will make the use of MRI both safe and effective for patients receiving these devices.

“Now that the critical need for making medical devices safe for use with MRI machines is gaining widespread recognition, Biophan is positioned to help device manufacturers design their devices to be safe and image compatible with MRI, and we can offer them a wide variety of solutions,” said Mr. Weiner. “There is no longer any excuse for not making and certifying devices to be safe with MRI machines. It is important to bring an end to the many problems that have hampered recipients of these life enhancing medical devices from undergoing critical and beneficial MRI diagnostic procedures. We are pleased with the growing activity among device manufacturers interested in fixing the problem, and exploring the use of our patented solutions.”