Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a medical imaging technique used to form detailed images of the anatomy and the physiological processes of the body. An MRI examination is a painless procedure, but to be of good quality it requires the child to remain still for approx. 45-90 minutes, that is to be carried out without undue concern or anxiety. Thus, sedation of the child is often necessary and sometimes also requires a general anaesthetic (a medically induced coma). A general anaesthetic is very resource demanding, why an effective and safe sedation procedure should be of preference. Cessatech will look into a new route of administration to optimize the process and provide a better non-invasive solution for children. Currently, the sedative drug is administered intravenously, but a new formulation will be investigated for intranasal administration which would provide several advantages over current clinical practice. Activation of centrally located receptors produces a sedation that mimics normal sleep and the drug also has a direct analgesic effect. It is Cessatech’s ambition to develop a standardized nasal spray formulation tested and approved for children, with a similar concept to the anesthetic nasal spray PIP plan (CT001) recently approved by the EMA.
Cessatech has not yet communicated on its timelines for initiating the development of CT002.