Imagion Biosystems and Planet Innovation have entered a Master Service Agreement that will allow Planet Innovation to work on Imagion Biosystems’s MagSense instrument technology.

The two companies will work on design concepts and developing prototype systems that Imagion can use in clinical studies for regulatory and commercial clearance. Imagion Biosystems will also be eligible for future R&D tax incentive refunds on the development work by working with Planet Innovation.

“We are very excited to team up with Planet Innovation to assist us in the next steps toward commercialization of the MagSense technology,” Bob Proulx, executive chairman at Imagion Biosystems, said in a press release. “As we are rapidly approaching our first in-human study for the nanoparticle component of our technology, we now need to add focus on the instrument platform. Planet Innovation is a world class engineering and design firm that can take our expertise and know-how on the MagSense instrument technology to help us develop our first clinical and commercial product.”

Imagion has previously reported that it has made progress on nanoparticle development for its early feasibility first-in-human study that is planned for the breast cancer test in the first half of 2019. The study doesn’t require clinical instrument and will follow a toxicology study for biological safety of MagSense nanoparticle formulation for use in humans.

“We believe the MagSense system can change the way cancer is detected and treated. We look forward to working with the team at Imagion Biosystems to help bring this potentially life-saving technology to market. PI has a strong record of developing and manufacturing innovative diagnostic products and we’ll work closely with Imagion to get this exciting new technology into trials and available to patients in the shortest possible time,” Ian Macfarlane, managing director of Planet Innovation Design, said.