Mamta Popat / Arizona Daily Star 2007

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Tucson-based ImaRx Therapeutics Inc. said today it will shift its focus away from its development of microbubble stroke therapy and instead concentrate on selling an approved drug.

ImaRx, one of Tucson's few publically traded companies at 1635 E. 18th St., signed a letter of intent with a Canadian company last week to manufacture urokinase, another clot-busting drug. ImaRx acquired urokinase, branded as Abbokinase, from Abbott Laboratories in 2006.

Urokinase is an approved treatment for acute massive pulmonary embolism. Through the third quarter of 2007, ImaRx sold $2.3 million worth of urokanise inventory it acquired from Abbott.

The announcement marks a major shift for ImaRx, which was founded by UA radiologist Dr. Evan Unger Unger's invention, which became ImaRx's SonoLysis technology, uses tiny ultrasound-activated bubbles to break up blood clots, the biggest cause of stroke.

But earlier this month, ImaRx put a clinical trial for SonoLysis on hold, citing brain-bleeding in some study participants when used in conjunction with tissue plasminogen activator, or tPA, a clot-dissolving agent currently available to treat stroke.

ImaRx said today it would seek to transfer development of SoloLysis to a third party to cut expenses.