Sofie Bio Seeks To Speed PET Probe Synthesis With SBIR Grant

The NIH has awarded Sofie Biosciences a roughly $1.8 million SBIR grant to support the development of digital chip technology for the synthesis of PET probes for neurobiology applications. The three-year grant will be administered by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH).

According to the company, by developing a point-of-care radiosynthesizer that integrates the many unit operations for synthesis, purification, and quality control into a benchtop, affordable device, access to the vast library (3,000+) of PET probes will be facilitated. Currently a major roadblock to using PET is the expensive equipment and specialized personnel required.

The SBIR award will augment the company's internal R&D investment, allowing it to accelerate the commercialization of a microfluidic-based radiosynthesizer for synthesizing PET probes on-demand for brain imaging and other applications.

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