Transforming UK medical imaging

The Medicines Discovery Catapult is working to ensure the UK remains a world leader in Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Imaging, a data-rich non-invasive imaging modality that offers huge potential across the life sciences and is highly amenable to advances in AI.

In April 2019, The Catapult integrated in-vivo imaging services into its pre-clinical portfolio. It promoted and drove adoption of these advanced techniques through collaborative research programmes across a range of disease areas, accelerating drug R&D for UK SMEs.

The Catapult’s contribution of PET Imaging expertise and infrastructure has supported two of these UK SMEs in securing over £12.5 million of private investment, with another obtaining a $360 million licensing deal for one of their drug candidates.

In 2021 the Catapult created the UK PET Network with leading academic centres of excellence. The network has a clear seven-year plan to leverage UK innovation, expertise, and infrastructure to keep the UK at the leading edge of this important and valuable technology. This has led to the creation of a multimillion pound national PET transaction platform co-supported by industry and UK Research & Innovation (UKRI).

Adding to these PET Imaging capabilities, the Catapult relaunched radiochemistry at Manchester’s Wolfson Molecular Imaging Centre (WMIC) in August 2021. WMIC houses a multi-million-pound cyclotron that allows the Medicines Discovery Catapult to supply hard-to-make radiochemicals to drug discovery biotechs and academic innovators – increasing the UK’s potential to discover new and better therapies for patients faster.