CNIC (national cardiovascular research centre) and Philips Iberian create the worlds most advanced cardiovascular image laboratory.

-a through the agreement of 10 years, IASC will feature the latest technology from Philips in the field of cardiovascular image, which will be updated as to any new developments.

– with an investment of 28.5 million, this laboratory will be the only one of the world count on the new mode of molecular imaging MPI (Magnetic Particle Imaging).

-teams CNIC and Philips Research research will work in this Centre in new techniques to provide information to level molecular.

-Philips Spain will create a research unit that will work closely with the international centres of Philips Research in Hamburg, Aachen and Eindhoven.

Madrid, December 2009.- CNIC (national cardiovascular research centre) and Philips have signed a 10-year agreement to establish the world’s most advanced Cardiovascular Research Laboratory on the Campus of the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (Ministry of science and innovation). The agreement involves an investment of 28.5 million euros.

Under the agreement signed by D. José Jerónimo Navas, Director General of the Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Chairman of the delegated Committee of the IASC Foundation and D. Ignacio Ayerdi, Director General of Philips healthcare, Philips will provide the most advanced technology in cardiovascular image across the spectrumfrom ultrasound to hybrid teams, through CT and MRI. It is intended to advance the prevention, diagnosis and more effective treatment of cardiovascular disease due to the technology that Philips will update to see progress in this area, and according to the research programme signed.

More advanced equipment that will be the new laboratory of cardiovascular image, include a TAC of last generation, 256 cuts, that allows to reduce time of exploration under 300ms (vs.) (The current 450ms), the second team in the world of PET-RM (the first being installed at the Mount Sinai Hospital in New York), and a new form of image, MPI (Magnetic Particle Imaging or image of magnetic particles), developed by Philips and that will be installed for the first time in the world at CNIC.

This technology, which uses the magnetic properties of ferric oxide nanoparticles injected into the bloodstream, has been used in pre-clinical studies to generate images with unprecedented real-time flow of arterial blood and volumetric heart motion. This is a fundamental step forward in the development of an imaging technique to help improve the diagnosis and therapeutic planning of many of the diseases with increased morbidity and mortality today such as cardiovascular disease, stroke, or cancer.

The laboratory will be distributed physically in three locations on campus for exploration to human, large and small animals.

Research programme

The development of an important research agreement that puts the IASC at the head of the world map of centres of excellence in research is an integral part of the agreement between IASC and Philips.

CNIC research teams, led by Dr. Valentin Fuster, and Philips Research in Hamburg, Aachen and Eindhoven will work in this Centre in new imaging techniques to provide information at the molecular level for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular disease. Philips Spain will create a research unit led by a figure of international prestige who will work closely with the international centres of Philips Research.

The first fruits of the agreement are the joint involvement of IASC and Philips on several European programmes of the current framework programme, among the draft HYPERImage, funded by the European Union and developed by a European consortium of three universities, three foundations of research – including CNIC – University Medical Center and Philips as industrial partner.

Royal Philips Electronics

Royal Philips Electronics of the Netherlands (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHI) is a company whose activities cover all aspects of the care of the health and well-being, with the aim of improving the quality of life of people offering them the necessary innovations at the right time. As a leader in the health care, consumer and lifestyle, and lighting, Philips integrates the most advanced technologies and the latest design solutions always developed around the needs of the people and based on a profound knowledge of the consumer and your brand promise sense and simplicity ”. Headquartered in the Netherlands, Philips has a staff of approximately, 116.000 employees in over 60 countries. With a turnover of 26 billion euros in 2008, the company is world leader in systems for critical care and heart, and Telemonitoring in lighting solutions based on energy efficiency and new lighting applications, and consumer solutions to improve the quality of life and the variety of leisure activities of people, with a strong leadership position in flat TVs, shaving and men’s toilet, portable entertainment and oral care systems.
CNIC

Cardiovascular diseases are still the major cause of mortality in developed countries, including Spain, despite enormous advances in the diagnosis and treatment that have occurred in the past 20 years. Social and human costs arising in economic terms, remain enormous. Aware of this health reality, the Spanish Government decided to create CNIC to group the best of cardiovascular research at Spain and provide it with a modern infrastructure and the necessary funding to carry out biomedical research of excellence.