VisEn Launches Next-Generation Fast ('Fluorescence Activatible Sensor Technology')...

VisEn Launches Next-Generation Fast ('Fluorescence Activatible Sensor
Technology') Agent Platform for Expanded Performance in Imaging Disease
Biomarkers In Vivo

MMPSense(TM) 750 FAST is Presented at AACR 100th Annual Meeting

BEDFORD, Mass., April 20 /PRNewswire/ -- VisEn Medical Inc., a leader in
fluorescence in vivo imaging from research through medicine, announced today
the introduction of its new FAST ("Fluorescent Activatible Sensor Technology")
imaging agent platform for advanced imaging of key disease-associated
biomarkers and drug response in vivo. Newly developed by VisEn Medical, FAST
imaging agents are smaller molecule, biocompatible, activatible fluorescent
agents that combine increased biomarker specificity with accelerated
pharmacokinetics for advanced measurement and monitoring of key disease
biomarkers in vivo. The new MMPSense 750 FAST, the first of the FAST agents
to be launched by VisEn, was described today in a scientific poster
presentation entitled "In vivo imaging of treatment effects using a novel
near-infrared labeled agent: MMPSense 750 FAST", at the annual Scientific
Sessions of the AACR (American Association of Cancer Research) 100th Annual
Meeting 2009 in Denver, CO by Jeffrey D. Peterson, Ph.D., Vice President of
Applied Biology at VisEn.

At the AACR 100th Annual Meeting, the Peterson et al study demonstrated the
performance of MMPSense 750 FAST as a fast-acting, near-infrared imaging agent
to measure tumor MMP activity in vivo and monitor treatment efficacy. In the
study, administration of the agent allowed the non-invasive measurement of MMP
inhibition using two different chemotherapy regimes. Using the VisEn FMT
2500(TM) quantitative tomography system, tumor fluorescence due to in vivo
activation of the agent was clearly detectable as early as 4 hours after
injection of the agent with the signal maximizing between 6 and 24 hours. By
96 hours, only 15% of the signal was still present in tumors. "Our study
utilized MMPSense 750 FAST as a mechanistic biomarker for therapeutic
activity, which was closely associated with tumor progression", said Dr.
Peterson. Both of the chemotherapeutics in the study inhibited the MMPSense
750 FAST signal in tumors by 88% and 70%, respectively (p=0.0042 and 0.026)
only one day after beginning the treatment, at a time when there was no
measurable effect on tumor size--a finding, Dr. Peterson noted, which
underscored the ability of these fluorescence agents and FMT imaging to
rapidly and non-invasively measure the molecular events associated with tumor
progression. "The study demonstrates the potential of near-infrared
fluorescence in vivo imaging to non-invasively quantify the underlying biology
of tumorigenic processes in real time--performance essential for the
assessment of cancer and metastases, as well as the development and monitoring
of anticancer therapies," said Dr. Peterson. According to Dr. Peterson, the
FAST platform combines an activation site with two internally quenched
fluorophores that fluoresce upon cleavage by MMPs in vivo and are then
detected and quantified by the VisEn FMT 2500 in vivo imaging system. VisEn's
proprietary FMT technology provides non-invasive, whole body, deep tissue
imaging in small animal models and generates three dimensional images. VisEn's
FMT systems are currently being used by leading researchers and pharmaceutical
companies globally for research in oncology as well as inflammatory,
pulmonary, cardiovascular and skeletal disease.

The late-breaking poster "In vivo imaging of treatment effects using a novel
near-infrared labeled agent: MMPSense 750 FAST," by Peterson et.al., was
presented at the AACR 100th Annual Meeting on Sunday, April 19, 2009 between
1:00 - 5:00 PM in Hall B-F, Poster Section 13 (#LB-68) of the Denver
Convention Center. "VisEn's new FAST agent platform will enable yet another
level of imaging performance and versatility by providing increased ranges of
biomarker specificity with faster pharmacokinetic profiles," said Kirtland
Poss, President and CEO of VisEn Medical. "This enables more versatility in
pre-clinical study designs, greater breadth of imaging data and even more
biomarker multiplexing for our customers, especially in longitudinal studies
of disease progression and therapeutic response."

VisEn's proprietary in vivo imaging agents and labels, including the FAST
platform, are designed to provide a robust and broad range of
biologically-specific imaging readouts in vivo. VisEn now offers over 25
different fluorescence molecular agents for imaging key disease-associated
biologic targets, processes and pathways in vivo, with additional agents
expected for launch in 2009. VisEn also offers its specialized in vivo agent
labeling platforms, including its proprietary VivoTag(R) fluorescence labeling
dyes for custom in vivo agent development and its NanoSpark(R)in vivo labeling
nanoparticles, all designed and optimized specifically for superior
brightness, biocompatibility, stability and results in in vivo imaging.
VisEn's agents and labels are designed to be compatible with a range of
fluorescence imaging systems, but are only truly quantifiable on the VisEn FMT
2500 quantitative tomography system. With a focus on translational research
and results, all of VisEn's technologies are designed to generate
translational data linking pre-clinical research into clinical medicine.

About VisEn Medical Inc.
VisEn's in vivo fluorescence imaging technologies, including its Fluorescence
Agent Portfolio and its Fluorescence Molecular Tomographic (FMT(TM)) Imaging
Systems provide robust fluorescence molecular imaging performance in
identifying, characterizing and quantifying ranges of disease biomarkers and
therapeutic efficacy in vivo. VisEn's FMT systems and agents are used by
leading research institutions and pharmaceutical companies in applications
including cancer research, inflammation, cardiovascular, skeletal and
pulmonary disease. The Company also works with large pharmaceutical partners
to design ranges of tailored molecular imaging agents and applications that
are designed to their specific pre-clinical and clinical research areas.
Additional information can be found at www.visenmedical.com.

SOURCE VisEn Medical Inc.

Robert Sandler, VP, Marketing of VisEn Medical Inc., Office, +1-647-350-1881,
Cell, +1-416-274-8166, rsandler@visenmedical.com; or Peter Steinerman,
Principal of Steinerman Biomedical Comm., for VisEn Medical Inc., Office,
+1-516-374-3031, Cell, +1-516-641-8959, PRSteinerman@aol.com,