OPTICAL DIAGNOSTIC AGENTS FOR DIAGNOSIS OF NEURODEGENERATIVE DISEASES BY MEANS OF NEAR INFRA-RED RADIATION (NIR RADIATION)

摘要

The invention relates to compounds of formula (I): Fm(-A1) (-Bn) (-WO) whereinF is a colorant-signal molecule with a maximum absorption value ranging from600 - 1200 nm; A is a .beta.-amyloid plaque binding biomolecule; B is a .beta.-amyloid plaque binding colorant; and W is a .beta.-amyloid plaque bindinghydrophilic low-molecular structural element. The invention also describes theuse of these compounds in in vivo and in vitro diagnosis of neurodegenerativediseases such as Alzheimer's disease by means of near infra-red radiation (NIRradiation) as a contrasting agent in fluorescence and transilluminationdiagnosis in the NIR range. Diagnostic agents containing said components arealso disclosed.