SNM's Clinical Trials Network Gains Added Support from Genentech

Reston, Va.-The SNM Clinical Trials Network, an initiative designed to address the need for streamlined drug discovery through the integration of imaging biomarkers into multi-center clinical trials, recently added Genentech, Inc., as a supporter.

SNM, the world's largest medical and scientific society for molecular imaging professionals, inaugurated the Clinical Trials Network in late 2008 to facilitate more cost-effective drug development through the integration and standardization of imaging biomarkers into Phase 1, 2, 3 and 4 therapeutic clinical trials. As part of this initiative, the society continues to bring together pharmaceutical developers, the imaging community, biomarker manufacturers and regulatory agencies to address critical needs for incorporating imaging biomarkers into multi-center trials. A formal introduction to the Clinical Trials Network was provided at a two-day workshop in Clearwater Beach, Fla., in February 2009 and additional educational sessions about the network are planned for June during SNM's 56th Annual Meeting in Toronto, Canada.

"We are gratified to have Genentech-a pioneer in the field of developing targeted therapeutics-join us in this important endeavor, which we hope will broaden the scope and effectiveness of today's medical practice and lead to improved patient care in the near future," said Peter S. Conti, M.D., Ph.D., co-chair of the SNM Clinical Trials Network and professor of radiology, pharmacy and biomedical engineering at the University of Southern California. "We are pleased that such an innovative corporate leader supports our mission of advancing molecular imaging and therapy."

The use of imaging in clinical trials can help pharmaceutical developers determine earlier in the development process whether a new product is clinically promising by allowing physicians to see and assess whether it is working as intended for a patient, explained Dr. Conti.

"Molecular imaging is an essential component of such studies since it accelerates the development of promising compounds and eliminates those without apparent patient benefit earlier in the development cycle," he added. "We hope that Genentech's collaboration with SNM will help improve patient treatment worldwide."

For more information about the SNM Clinical Trials Network, please visit www.snm.org/clinicaltrials.

About SNM: Advancing Molecular Imaging and Therapy
SNM is an international scientific and medical organization dedicated to raising public awareness about what molecular imaging is and how it can help provide patients with the best health care possible. SNM members specialize in molecular imaging, a vital element of today's medical practice that adds an additional dimension to diagnosis, changing the way common and devastating diseases are understood and treated.

SNM's more than 17,000 members set the standard for molecular imaging and nuclear medicine practice by creating guidelines, sharing information through journals and meetings and leading advocacy on key issues that affect molecular imaging and therapy research and practice. For more information, visit http://www.snm.org.