PAREXEL implements fMRI technology in early phase CNS drug development

PAREXEL International (NASDAQ: PRXL), a leading global biopharmaceutical services provider, today announced that it has enhanced its central nervous system (CNS) capabilities for clinical development through the implementation of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) technology in its Early Phase units. This advanced imaging scanning measures hemodynamic response, or change in blood flow, related to neural activity in the brain or spinal cord. Through this approach, PAREXEL is able to provide sponsors with improved testing paradigms for cognitive biomarkers and better understand the impact of compounds earlier in disease progression.

PAREXEL is among the first to apply this technology broadly to multicenter trials with centralized imaging review processes to improve the quality, consistency and reproducibility of clinical data. This advancement is part of PAREXEL's long-standing commitment to the CNS therapeutic area. The Company has focused on bringing extensive expertise and the latest innovations to early phase drug development, making it a premier provider to biopharmaceutical companies worldwide.

"PAREXEL has continued to provide clients with true leadership in early phase CNS drug development—combining the latest technology with our extensive scientific expertise and CNS research tools, including cerebrospinal fluid dynabridging studies," said Larry Ereshefsky, Pharm. D., F.C.C.P, B.C.P.P., Vice President and Principal Consultant, Early Phase, PAREXEL.

According to Dr. Ereshefsky, "We are helping the biopharmaceutical industry take a major step forward to leverage advanced technologies in the assessment of CNS diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease, other neurodegenerative disorders, such as Parkinson's and Multiple Sclerosis, as well as in psychiatric disorders and in pain research. Our goals are to diagnose and treat ahead of significant brain and neurological damage, and open the door for disease course modifying drugs, including primary and secondary prevention strategies."

The research-enhanced fMRI technology provides greater speed, advanced image detail, and more scanning flexibility.  Enabled with 3 Tesla (3T) power—a unit of measurement quantifying the strength of the magnetic field—PAREXEL can conduct scans to evaluate regions of interest with more anatomical detail, and detect smaller drug induced changes in brain function. With this capability, image quality is increased significantly, and image acquisition times are shortened. This technology allows PAREXEL to not only assess regions of activity but also functional connectivity among neurological networks. Additionally, early phase CNS experts can determine which regions are activated or deactivated by certain drug effects. This more sensitive measurement capability supports complex clinical studies focused on disease course modification techniques and improved symptomatic therapies earlier in the progression of an illness. The approach can be a sensitive pharmacodynamic tool to demonstrate proof of mechanism, especially when used in conjunction with other corroborative CNS biomarkers.