OBI Portfolio Company Yellowbird Diagnostics Doses First Patients in Phase I Trial of NeuCaVis™
16 avril 2026
Yellowbird Diagnostics Inc., a portfolio company of the Ontario Brain Institute (OBI) through the NERVE 2024 program, develops plug-and-play imaging dyes for common medical imaging procedures — revealing otherwise invisible hallmarks of disease to empower earlier, more effective clinical decision-making across conditions of the brain, heart, and kidneys.
The company has now reached a key clinical milestone: the successful dosing and imaging of the first participants in its Phase I trial of NeuCaVis™, a novel metabolic PET imaging agent designed to enable precise visualization of inflammation.
About the Trial
The single-dose, open-label study is being conducted at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute under the leadership of Dr. Benjamin Chow, and is designed to evaluate the safety, tolerability, and dosimetry of NeuCaVis™ in healthy volunteers. Phase I completion is anticipated in June 2026.
A New Paradigm in Inflammation Imaging
Inflammation is a central driver of conditions ranging from cardiovascular disease and neuroinflammatory disorders to cancer, yet imaging it with precision has historically been difficult. NeuCaVis™ is a first-in-class PET tracer that enables direct visualization of fructose metabolism, offering a potentially more specific signal of inflammatory activity than conventional approaches.
Preclinical and early human data suggest the agent demonstrates minimal background signal, with uptake observed primarily in tissues with active inflammation — a profile that may support improved diagnostic clarity and more informed clinical decision-making.
Perspectives from the Team
"Dosing our first patients marks a significant milestone for Yellowbird and for the field of molecular imaging," said Adam Shuhendler, Chief Scientific Officer and Co-Founder of Yellowbird Diagnostics. "Our goal is to move beyond the limitations of conventional PET imaging and deliver tools that provide clearer, more actionable insights for clinicians and patients."
Dr. Benjamin Chow, Lead Investigator, added: "There is a critical need in cardiology for more precise imaging of inflammatory processes. Based on early observations, NeuCaVis™ shows promise as a technology that could enhance diagnostic confidence and ultimately improve patient management."
More about Yellowbird Diagnostics:
Yellowbird Diagnostics is an Ottawa-based biotechnology company developing next-generation metabolic imaging agents to detect disease earlier and guide clinical decision-making. The company is led by Co-Founders Nicholas D. Calvert (Chief Executive Officer), Alexia Kirby (Chief Operating Officer), and Adam Shuhendler (Chief Scientific Officer), with Michael Gottlieb serving as Executive Board Chair.
The NeuCaVis™ Phase I program is supported by Brain and Heart Interconnectome, Capital BioVentures, FACIT, Canadian Medical Isotope Ecosystem, Ontario Brain Institute, University of Ottawa Heart Institute, and Yellowbird's investor base.
Yellowbird joined OBI's NERVE program in 2024, a neurotech commercialization initiative supporting early-stage companies in advancing innovative technologies toward market.
For more information, visit www.yellowbirddx.com.
More about NERVE:
NERVE is the Ontario Brain Institute's neurotech commercialization program, designed to support early-stage companies in advancing innovative neurotechnologies toward market. Through mentorship, funding, and access to OBI's research and industry networks, NERVE helps portfolio companies accelerate the development and commercialization of technologies with the potential to improve outcomes for people living with brain and nervous system disorders.