report
7.6.9 Economic information for present products

According to a press release by Reuters the MRI contrast agent market is characterised to be worth more than $1 billion annually and is currently dominated by gadolinium chelate-based contrast agents^[40].

According to a study of the freedonia group, the market for contrast agents will expand moderately with increasing numbers of X-ray, CT and MRI scans on body regions where visual enhancement is needed. Within this market segment nanosized compounds will show the best growth prospects because they are expected to improve the sensitivity of MRI-generated images^[41].

AMAG Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company that utilises its proprietary nanoparticle technology for the development and commercialisation of therapeutic iron compounds to treat anaemia and novel imaging agents to aid in the diagnosis of cancer and cardiovascular disease; reported unaudited consolidated financial results for the quarter and six months ended June 30, 2008. Revenues for GastroMARK® and Feridex® for the quarter ended June 30, 2008 were $0.5 million compared to revenues of $0.7 million for the same period in 2007^[42]. Revenues for the six month period ended June 30, 2008 were $1.1 million compared to $1.7 million for the same period in 2007.

Guerbet S.A. sells Feridex®/Lumirem® and GastroMARK®/Endorem® on the European and Latin American market. According to their financial report from 2006 they attained revenues of $86.4 million for their four MRI contrast agent products. With Dotarem®, a gadolininium based formula, AMAG Pharmaceuticals solely received revenues of about $85 million^[43]. Compared with 2005 there is a change of +9.1%. For Artirem®, GastroMARK®/Lumirem®, Feridex®/Endorem® they attained $1.4 million. Benevolently estimated AMAG Pharmaceutical Inc. received profits of about $400 to 500 thousand. According to their 2006 annual financial report AMAG declared that the contribution of both nano-sized contrast agents to total Group sales is marginal^[44].

Bayer Schering AG announced on the Bayer health care Day in 2007 sales of € 373 million for their four MRI contrast media Magnevist, Gadovist, Vasovist and Primovist but no information about their nanosized Resovist. Therefore, only marginal sales are anticipated^[45].