Today, the Foundation is aware of 86 companies that contribute equipment or supplies to the focused ultrasound industry. The list is divided into four categories: Device Manufacturers, Distributors, Microbubble manufacturers, and Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs).
- Device manufactures create the platforms that provide treatment to patients.
- Worldwide OEM Suppliers (or distributors) sell the platforms to the hospitals and physicians that use them.
- Microbubble companies engineer and produce the microbubbles or nanoparticles that are used in conjunction with focused ultrasound.
- OEMs design, develop, and manufacture the components that are used in the focused ultrasound treatment systems.
With the discovery that focused ultrasound could oscillate microbubbles to open the blood-brain barrier, new companies were formed and companies that made imaging microbubbles expanded their expertise to create novel therapeutic microbubbles. These businesses are advancing the way that therapeutic molecules are being delivered now and charting a new course for the future. Importantly, microbubble delivery of drugs (e.g., chemotherapy) and therapeutics (e.g., antibodies, proteins, DNA, genes) can convert a systemic effect to one that is occurs only where it is needed.
Examples of microbubble company products include:
- Microbubbles
- Microbubble drug conjugates
- Drug and biologic delivery vehicles
- Bubble generators
- Cavitation monitoring devices
There are currently nine microbubble manufacturers that are significantly contributing to the field. Five of these companies are located in North America, and four are in Europe.
North America
- Artenga, Inc. (Canada)
- Dynaflow, Inc. (USA)
- Lantheus Medical Imaging, Inc. (USA)
- SonoGene, LLC (USA)
- Vesselon, Inc. (USA) (January 2019 Company Profile)
Europe
- Bracco Imaging, SpA (Italy) (July 2019 Company Profile)
- OxSonics, Ltd (United Kingdom) (March 2018 Research Roundup)
- Phoenix Solutions, AS (Norway)
- Thermosome, GmbH (Germany)