Advanced Research Technologies (ART), a Montreal-based medical device and optical molecular imaging product developer, has signed a collaboration agreement with the National Research Council of Canada's Institute for Biological Sciences (NRC-IBS).

NRC-IBS and ART have agreed to establish a partnership consisting of service, research and development activities for client-oriented diagnostic applications using ART’s proprietary time-domain technology in molecular imaging.

ART currently offers three main product platforms:

• Optix, an optical molecular imaging device designed for monitoring physiological changes in living systems at the preclinical study phases of new drugs.
• SoftScan, an optical medical imaging device, is designed to improve the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer. ART said it is commercializing these products in a global strategic alliance with GE Healthcare.
• Fenestra, a line of molecular imaging contrast products, which ART said provides image enhancement for a wide range of preclinical Micro CT applications, with potential extension into other major imaging modalities.