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PETNET® Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is pleased to announce the availability of a new molecular probe for use in Parkinson’s disease (PD) and other movement disorders: MetaDopa™ (Fluorodopa F 18 Injection). This product is available through the LATech Center, a PETNET cyclotron-equipped radiopharmacy and molecular imaging research center affiliated with the UCLA School of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology. MetaDopa™will be an important new enabling technology. MetaDopa™is used with positron emission tomography* (PET) to visualize the regional distribution of the neurotransmitter dopamine in the human brain.1,2,3,4 MetaDopa™with PET is used to assess presynaptic dopaminergic function in vivo in the human brain,1,3,5,6 and to examine changes in dopamine neurotransmission in clinically dysfunctional patients.1,5,7 Since patients with Parkinson's disease have been demonstrated to have low MetaDopa™uptake throughout the striatum, MetaDopa™ with PET may be used to confirm the diagnosis of Parkinson's disease3,6,7,8,9,10,11and to follow the rate of disease progression.11,12,13 A decreased MetaDopa™uptake, especially in the putamen, may be indicative of a primary degeneration of the dopaminergic nigrostriatal neurons typical for idiopathic Parkinson's disease.3,7,12 Also, MetaDopa™has been used to investigate the effect of medications in Parkinson's disease, particularly of catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) inhibitors (e.g., nitecapone and entacapone), on the accumulation of dopamine in the striatum.14,15 MetaDopa™ may be useful for identifying preclinical or early Parkinson's disease in clinically normal subjects.6,16 MetaDopa™may also be useful as an amino acid tracer for the detection of brain tumors and their recurrences.17 The primary deficit in PD is a loss of neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta which provide dopaminergic innervation to the striatum (caudate and putamen).18 It is assumed the distribution and pharmacological similarity of MetaDopa™ reflect those of dopamine. Patients with PD have a significant reduction in striatal F-DOPA accumulation compared with normal subjects.10 Significant use expected. The potential for MetaDopa™ PET is significant: PD affects approximately half a million people in the US each year. The incidence of PD is age related -- the current estimate is that 1 in 500 people over age 50 will develop PD -- and the population is rapidly aging. PET can help to improve diagnosis and thus homogenize patient groups.10 Please find enclosed a bibliography of relevant literature. For additional information on the availability of MetaDopa™in your area, call: LATech Center 6140 Bristol Parkway Culver City, CA 90230 310-670-1010 877-4PETNET (473-8638) Sincerely J.Paul Shea, Ph.D. Vice President, Clinical Research P.S. We are enclosing a copy of the letter sent to local neurologist for your information. MetaDopa™, developed at the LA Tech Center, is a PET molecular probe used to assess presynaptic dopaminergic function. --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.443 / Virus Database: 248 - Release Date: 1/10/2003 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn