19 March 2019 - - Canada-based pharmaceutical and clinical research services partner Enigma Biomedical Group has inked an exclusive license agreement with US-based Merck (NYSE: MRK) for the global development and commercialization of MK-6884, an early stage investigational imaging agent developed by Merck for use in Positron Emission Tomography scans to measure cholinergic tone change in vivo, the company said.

MK-6884 has potential applications as an imaging agent across multiple neurodegenerative diseases.

As part of the agreement, EBG will be responsible for the clinical development and commercialisation of MK-6884 in return for payment of license fees, milestone payments and royalties on worldwide sales of any future marketed products.

In an early study presented at the American Society for Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (ASCPT) 2019 annual meeting, Merck scientists reported that cholinergic tone alters M4 Positive Allosteric Modulation and PET imaging with [11C]MK-6884 was able to measure cholinergic tone change.

MK-6884 has a high specificity with favorable physicochemical properties and in vivo pharmacokinetics that warrant further clinical investigation as a potential PET neuroimaging agent. Merck and Cerveau are planning an open-label Phase 1 study to investigate the safety and characterize the use of [11C]MK-6884.

Toronto-based Enigma Biomedical Group enhances access to key technologies with a focus on molecular imaging and medicine. EBG offers a suite of services to the pharmaceutical industry and clinical research community to accelerate drug development and global access.

EBG partners with academic institutions and universities to foster and broaden access to novel research.

Cerveau Technologies, Inc. is a partnership between Enigma Biomedical Group, Inc. and Sinotau Pharmaceutical Group. Cerveau's vision is to globally develop diagnostics and technology that positively impact patients with neurodegenerative disorders including Alzheimer's disease.