Development of novel acyclic chelators for gallium-68 and scandium-44 used in PET

Lead Research Organisation: King's College London
Department Name: Imaging & Biomedical Engineering

Abstract

This proposal sets out to make the next generation of radiotracers using gallium-68 and scandium-44 for use positron emission tomography (PET), which can be rapidly radiolabelled under physiological conditions for easy translation into the clinic and make the process of production of imaging agent significantly quicker and easier for the radipharmist to undertake. this project is designed to take the novel ligands and apply them to the clinical equipment used currently for production of imaging agents and make this process faster and more efficient. This project will develop a series of bifunctional ligands for this to allow for imaging of prostate cancer using gallium-68 and scandium-44, and validate the radiolabeling potential in the latest microfluidic technology for rapid translation to radiopharmacy use for GMP production.

These agents will be capable of taking a radiolabel directly to a cancerous site and allowing the tumour to be easily visualized by positron emission tomography (PET) imaging. Using this information, a related carrier molecule will then deliver a radioactive payload to the cancerous tumour with minimal damage to the surrounding tissue. The guiding system will comprise peptide groups which have an affinity for motifs (receptors) that are overexpressed at the cancerous tumour.

The named research groups have been selected given that they contribute complementary expertise to that available in the PIs group at KCL and Hull, with a mix of inorganic chemistry, biology, PET imaging and microfluidic technology. Regular meetings/workshops between the named groups, clinicians and radiopharmacists will ensure a validation pathway for the new agents.

Use of local science forums and blogs will enable the team to engage with the public and patients.

This project will progress with commercialization in mind and the need to minimise both the complexity (number of steps) of the design of these chelators and also the need to optimize wider utilization at the 'bed-side', i.e. mild conditions and limited radioactive steps.
 
Description we have developed a molecule that binds the radiocative metal gallium-68, under mild natural conditions, this molecule has undergo multiple rounds of testing and further modified to target it to prostate cancer.
Exploitation Route This is too early to say as the award is still active, but it would be of use in translation to imaging centers for the diagnosis of prostate cancer in the future.
Sectors Chemicals

Healthcare

 
Description MRIP program by BEIS, on long term strategy for radionuclides for health
Geographic Reach National 
Policy Influence Type Participation in a guidance/advisory committee
 
Description Development of PET/PDT theranostics for High Grade Glioma
Amount £161,901 (GBP)
Organisation Cancer Research UK 
Sector Charity/Non Profit
Country United Kingdom
Start 09/2023 
End 09/2027
 
Description Development of production of Scandium-44 and Manganese-52 for preclinical and clinical PET imaging - EPSRC IAA-KCL
Amount £61,089 (GBP)
Organisation King's College London 
Sector Academic/University
Country United Kingdom
Start 05/2021 
End 05/2022
 
Description Inorganic nanoparticles for radiolabelling with 223Ra / 212Pb, for multimodal imaging and therapy in cancer. EPSRC -SMART IMAGING CDT/NNL
Amount £115,000 (GBP)
Organisation King's College London 
Sector Academic/University
Country United Kingdom
Start 08/2022 
End 08/2026
 
Description State-of-the-Art Equipment for Preclinical Molecular Imaging and Targeted Radiotherapy
Amount £168,000 (GBP)
Funding ID MR/X011992/1 
Organisation Medical Research Council (MRC) 
Sector Public
Country United Kingdom
Start 09/2022 
End 03/2023
 
Description State-of-the-Art Equipment for Preclinical Targeted Radiotherapy
Amount £416,920 (GBP)
Funding ID MC_PC_MR/Y000242/1 
Organisation Medical Research Council (MRC) 
Sector Public
Country United Kingdom
Start 06/2023 
End 03/2024
 
Title CCDC 1864389: Experimental Crystal Structure Determination 
Description Related Article: Thomas W. Price, Isaline Renard, Timothy J. Prior, Vojte?ch Kubi´c?ek, David M. Benoit, Stephen J. Archibald, Anne-Marie Seymour, Petr Hermann, Graeme J. Stasiuk|2022|Inorg.Chem.|61|17059|doi:10.1021/acs.inorgchem.2c01992 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2022 
Provided To Others? Yes  
URL http://www.ccdc.cam.ac.uk/services/structure_request?id=doi:10.5517/ccdc.csd.cc20l1l8&sid=DataCite
 
Title CCDC 1878045: Experimental Crystal Structure Determination 
Description Related Article: Thomas W. Price, Laure`ne Wagner, Veronika Rosecker, Jana Havli´c?kova´, Timothy J. Prior, Vojte?ch Kubi´c?ek, Petr Hermann, Graeme J. Stasiuk|2023|Inorg.Chem.|62|20769|doi:10.1021/acs.inorgchem.3c02459 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2023 
Provided To Others? Yes  
URL http://www.ccdc.cam.ac.uk/services/structure_request?id=doi:10.5517/ccdc.csd.cc21183h&sid=DataCite
 
Title CCDC 2125953: Experimental Crystal Structure Determination 
Description Related Article: Thomas W. Price, Isaline Renard, Timothy J. Prior, Vojte?ch Kubi´c?ek, David M. Benoit, Stephen J. Archibald, Anne-Marie Seymour, Petr Hermann, Graeme J. Stasiuk|2022|Inorg.Chem.|61|17059|doi:10.1021/acs.inorgchem.2c01992 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2022 
Provided To Others? Yes  
URL http://www.ccdc.cam.ac.uk/services/structure_request?id=doi:10.5517/ccdc.csd.cc29c742&sid=DataCite
 
Description Inorganic nanoparticles for radiolabelling with 223Ra / 212Pb, for multimodal imaging and therapy in cancer. 
Organisation National Nuclear Laboratory
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Public 
PI Contribution We are developing radiotherapy nanoparticles (Quantum dots)
Collaborator Contribution NNL have sponsored a PhD student in my research group under the topic above, this started in September 2022.
Impact none so far.
Start Year 2022