Clinical trials of Alzheimer’s drugs, and other central nervous system (CNS) therapeutics, can be long and expensive, with no guarantee they will be successful, but Orasi believes it can improve this situation.
Speaking to Outsourcing-Pharma Joseph Baxter, Orasi’s representative director, Asia-Pacific and Europe, explained that its Synchronous Neural Interaction Test (SNI Test) is more reliable and robust than the alternatives.
These include MRI, PET and biomarkers but Baxter believes they all have weaknesses, such as unreliability, invasiveness, not giving a complete picture or taking a long time to convey information.
In contrast Orasi’s service uses technology, mainly manufactured by Elekta, which can give a full brain scan in 10 minutes. Currently pharma companies are using this in conjunction with the other tests and Orasi is expanding the service to improve management of these multiple data sets.
By adding a neuro analytics database to the offering Orasi’s clients will be able to combine, organise and analyse data from multiple sources, including MRI, PET and biomarkers.
Targeting CROs & international expansion
Orasi is beginning to target its services at CROs, which Baxter believes currently provide imaging with inferior accuracy than his company can provide. Consequently the company is hoping CROs will use the service as part of their offering to pharma clients.
Currently no CROs are using Orasi’s service, as the initial focus was on pharma companies, but Baxter is aiming to work with them and clients in Japan to expand its user base.
An office has been established in Tokyo, Japan and this is the initial focus of Orasi’s international expansion, because of its aging population and the time it takes to enter the market, but Baxter is pursuing further opportunities.
He explained that Europe, in particular the UK, Germany and France, are the company’s next geographic targets because of the large numbers of pharmas in the region.
Baxter added that Orasi’s business model allows it to use any site where the scanning equipment is located. However, this also highlights a shortcoming of the service, with the cost of the equipment meaning there are a limited number of the scanners.