A highly effective bifunctional ligand for radioimmunotherapy applications

3p-C-NETA: A versatile and effective chelator for development of Al18F-labeled and therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals

Background: Radiolabeled somatostatin analogues (e.g. [⁶⁸Ga]Ga-DOTATATE and [¹⁷⁷Lu]Lu-DOTATATE) have been used to diagnose, monitor, and treat neuroendocrine tumour (NET) patients with great success. [¹⁸F]AlF-NOTA-octreotide, a promising ¹⁸F-labeled somatostatin analogue and potential alternative for ⁶⁸Ga-DOTA-peptides, is under clinical evaluation. However, ideally, the same precursor (combination of chelator-linker-vector) can be used for production of both diagnostic and therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals with very similar (e.g. Al¹⁸F-method in combination with therapeutic radiometals ²¹³Bi/¹⁷⁷Lu) or identical (e.g. complementary Tb-radionuclides) pharmacokinetic properties, allowing for accurate personalised dosimetry estimation and radionuclide therapy of NET patients. In this study we evaluated 3p-C-NETA, as potential theranostic Al¹⁸F-chelator and present first results of radiosynthesis and preclinical evaluation of [¹⁸F]AlF-3p-C-NETA-TATE. Methods: 3p-C-NETA was synthesized and radiolabeled with diagnostic (⁶⁸Ga, Al¹⁸F) or therapeutic (¹⁷⁷Lu, ¹⁶¹Tb, ²¹³Bi, ²²⁵Ac and ⁶⁷Cu) radionuclides at different temperatures (25-95 °C). The in vitro stability of the corresponding radiocomplexes was determined in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) and human serum. 3p-C-NETA-TATE was synthesized using standard solid/liquid-phase peptide synthesis. [¹⁸F]AlF-3p-C-NETA-TATE was synthesized in an automated AllinOne® synthesis module and the in vitro stability of [¹⁸F]AlF-3p-C-NETA-TATE was evaluated in formulation buffer, PBS and human serum. [¹⁸F]AlF-3p-C-NETA-TATE pharmacokinetics were evaluated using µPET/MRI in healthy rats, with [¹⁸F]AlF-NOTA-Octreotide as benchmark. Results: 3p-C-NETA quantitatively sequestered ¹⁷⁷Lu, ²¹³Bi and ⁶⁷Cu at 25 °C while heating was required to bind Al¹⁸F, ⁶⁸Ga, ¹⁶¹Tb and ²²⁵Ac efficiently. The [¹⁸F]AlF-, [¹⁷⁷Lu]Lu- and [¹⁶¹Tb]Tb-3p-C-NETA-complex showed excellent in vitro stability in both PBS and human serum over the study period. In contrast, [⁶⁷Cu]Cu- and [²²⁵Ac]Ac-, [⁶⁸Ga]Ga-3p-C-NETA were stable in PBS, but not in human serum. [¹⁸F]AlF-3p-C-NETA-TATE was obtained in good radiochemical yield and radiochemical purity. [¹⁸F]AlF-3p-C-NETA-TATE displayed good in vitro stability for 4 h in all tested conditions. Finally, [¹⁸F]AlF-3p-C-NETA-TATE showed excellent pharmacokinetic properties comparable with the results obtained for [¹⁸F]AlF-NOTA-Octreotide. Conclusions: 3p-C-NETA is a versatile chelator that can be used for both diagnostic applications (Al¹⁸F) and targeted radionuclide therapy (²¹³Bi, ¹⁷⁷Lu, ¹⁶¹Tb). It has the potential to be the new theranostic chelator of choice for clinical applications in nuclear medicine.

Bioconjugated chelates based on (methylpyridinyl)tacn: synthesis, 64Cu labeling and in vitro evaluation for prostate cancer targeting

Three new bifunctional copper chelators based on the 1,4,7-triazacyclononane (tacn) platform have been synthesized and conjugated to peptide. The first one is constituted of the tacn with two methylpyridinyl and one methylthiazolyl carboxylic acid pendant arms, while, in the second and third ones, the macrocycle is functionalized by three methylpyridinyl groups, with an additional hexynoic acid chain on a carbon of one or two pyridine rings. These three bifunctional chelators have been conjugated to the antagonist JMV594 peptide for targeting the gastrin releasing peptide receptor (GRP-r), which is overexpressed in prostate cancer. The resulting monomeric bioconjugates have shown their efficiency to be radiolabeled with β+ emitter 64Cu, and the hydrophilicity and PC-3 cell internalisation properties of these radiolabeled conjugates have been studied. PC-3 cell binding affinity of mono- and dimeric metal-free and natCu metallated conjugates have been evaluated by IC50 measurements. The results demonstrate the potential of these methylpyridinyl tacn derivatives for radiopharmaceutical applications.

Nanoradiopharmaceuticals Based on Alpha Emitters: Recent Developments for Medical Applications

The application of nanotechnology in nuclear medicine offers attractive therapeutic opportunities for the treatment of various diseases, including cancer. Indeed, nanoparticles-conjugated targeted alpha-particle therapy (TAT) would be ideal for localized cell killing due to high linear energy transfer and short ranges of alpha emitters. New approaches in radiolabeling are necessary because chemical radiolabeling techniques are rendered sub-optimal due to the presence of recoil energy generated by alpha decay, which causes chemical bonds to break. This review attempts to cover, in a concise fashion, various aspects of physics, radiobiology, and production of alpha emitters, as well as highlight the main problems they present, with possible new approaches to mitigate those problems. Special emphasis is placed on the strategies proposed for managing recoil energy. We will also provide an account of the recent studies in vitro and in vivo preclinical investigations of α-particle therapy delivered by various nanosystems from different materials, including inorganic nanoparticles, liposomes, and polymersomes, and some carbon-based systems are also summarized.

Pyridine-containing octadentate ligand NE3TA-PY for formation of neutral complex with 177Lu(III) and 90Y(III) for radiopharmaceutical applications: Synthesis, DFT calculation, radiolabeling, and in vitro complex stability

Targeted radionuclide therapy is a developing therapeutic modality for cancer and employs a cytotoxic radionuclide bound to a chelating agent and a bioactive molecule with high binding affinity for a specific biomarker in tumors. An optimal chelator is one of the critical components to control therapeutic efficacy and toxicity of targeted radionuclide therapy. We designed a new octadentate ligand NE3TA-PY (7-[2-[(carboxymethyl)(2-pyridylmethyl)amino]ethyl]-1,4,7-triazacyclononane-1,4-diacetic acid) for β-particle-emitting ¹⁷⁷Lu and ⁹⁰Y with targeted radionuclide therapy applications. The pyridine-containing polyaminocarboxylate ligand was proposed to form a neutral complex with Lu(III) and Y(III). The new chelator NE3TA-PY was synthesized and experimentally and theorectically studied for complexation with ¹⁷⁷Lu(III) and ⁹⁰Y(III). DFT-optimized structures of Y(III)-NE3TA-PY and Lu(III)-NE3TA-PY complexes were predicted. NE3TA-PY displayed excellent radiolabeling efficiency with both ¹⁷⁷Lu and ⁹⁰Y. The new chelator (NE3TA-PY) bound to ¹⁷⁷Lu was more stable in human serum and better tolerated when challenged by EDTA than ⁹⁰Y-labeled NE3TA-PY. Our findings suggest that the new chelator (NE3TA-PY) produced excellent Lu-177 radiolabeling and in vitro complex stability profiles.

New Bifunctional Chelator 3p-C-NEPA for Potential Applications in Lu(III) and Y(III) Radionuclide Therapy and Imaging

We have developed structurally unique bifunctional chelators in the NETA, NE3TA, and DEPA series for potential radiopharmaceutical applications. As part of our continued research efforts to generate efficient bifunctional chelators for targeted radionuclide therapy and imaging of various diseases, we designed a scorpion-like chelator that is proposed to completely saturate the coordination spheres of Y(III) and Lu(III). We herein report the synthesis and evaluation of a new chelator (3p-C-NEPA) with 10 donor groups for complexation with β-emitting radionuclides ⁹⁰Y(III), ⁸⁶Y(III), and ¹⁷⁷Lu(III). The chelator was synthesized and evaluated for radiolabeling kinetics with the readily available radioisotopes ⁹⁰Y and ¹⁷⁷Lu, and the corresponding ⁹⁰Y or ¹⁷⁷Lu-radiolabeled complexes were evaluated for in vitro stability in human serum and in vivo complex stability in mice. The new chelator rapidly bound ⁹⁰Y or ¹⁷⁷Lu and formed a stable complex with the radionuclides. The new chelator 3p-C-NEPA radiolabeled with either ⁹⁰Y or ¹⁷⁷Lu remains stable in human serum without dissociation for 10 days. ¹⁷⁷Lu-labeled 3p-C-NEPA produced a favorable in vivo biodistribution profile in normal mice.

Coordination chemistry of [Y(pypa)]- and comparison immuno-PET imaging of [44Sc]Sc- and [86Y]Y-pypa-phenyl-TRC105

Both scandium-44 and yttrium-86 are popular PET isotopes with appropriate half-lives for immuno-positron emission tomography (immuno-PET) imaging. Herein, a new bifunctional H4pypa ligand, H4pypa-phenyl-NCS, is synthesized, conjugated to a monoclonal antibody, TRC105, and labeled with both radionuclides to investigate the long-term in vivo stability of each complex. While the 44Sc-labeled radiotracer exhibited promising pharmacokinetics and stability in 4T1-xenograft mice (n = 3) even upon prolonged interactions with blood serum proteins, the progressive bone uptake of the 86Y-counterpart indicated in vivo demetallation, obviating H4pypa as a suitable chelator for Y3+ ion in vivo. The solution chemistry of [natY(pypa)]- was studied in detail and the complex found to be thermodynamically stable in solution with a pM value 22.0, ≥3 units higher than those of the analogous DOTA- and CHX-A''-DTPA-complexes; the 86Y-result in vivo was therefore most unexpected. To explore further this in vivo lability, Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculation was performed to predict the geometry of [Y(pypa)]- and the results were compared with those for the analogous Sc- and Lu-complexes; all three adopted the same coordination geometry (i.e. distorted capped square antiprism), but the metal-ligand bonds were much longer in [Y(pypa)]- than in [Lu(pypa)]- and [Sc(pypa)]-, which could indicate that the size of the binding cavity is too small for the Y3+ ion, but suitable for both the Lu3+ and Sc3+ ions. Considered along with results from [86Y][Y(pypa-phenyl-TRC105)], it is noted that when matching chelators with radionuclides, chemical data such as the thermodynamic stability and in vitro inertness, albeit useful and necessary, do not always translate to in vivo inertness, especially with the prolonged blood circulation of the radiotracer bound to a monoclonal antibody. Although H4pypa is a nonadentate chelator, which theoretically matches the coordination number of the Y3+ ion, we show herein that its binding cavity, in fact, favors smaller metal ions such as Sc3+ and Lu3+ and further exploitation of the Sc-pypa combination is desired.

A thiopyrylium salt for PET/NIR-II tumor imaging and image-guided surgery

All tumor imaging modalities have resolution limits below which deeply situated small metastatic foci may not be identified. Moreover, incomplete lesion excision will affect the outcomes of the patients. Scintigraphy is adept in locating lesions, and second near-infrared window (NIR-II) imaging may allow precise real-time tumor delineation. To achieve complete excision of all lesions, multimodality imaging is a promising method for tumor identification and management. Here, a NIR-II thiopyrylium salt, XB1034, was first synthesized and bound to cetuximab and trans-cyclooctene (TCO) to produce XB1034-cetuximab-TCO. This probe provides excellent sensitivity and high temporal resolution NIR-II imaging in mice bearing tumors developed from human breast cancer cells MDA-MB-231. To enable PET imaging, 68 Ga-NETA-tetrazine is subsequently injected into the mice to undergo a bio-orthogonal reaction with the preinjected XB1034-cetuximab-TCO. PET images achieved in the tumor models using the pretargeting strategy are of much higher quality than those obtained using the direct radiolabeling method. Moreover, real-time NIR-II imaging allows accurate tumor excision and sentinel lymph node mapping. In conclusion, XB1034 is a promising molecular imaging probe for tumor diagnosis and treatment.

Recent Research Trends on Bismuth Compounds in Cancer Chemoand Radiotherapy

Background:

Application of coordination chemistry in nanotechnology is a rapidly developing research field in medicine. Bismuth complexes have been widely used in biomedicine with satisfactory therapeutic effects, mostly in Helicobacter pylori eradication, but also as potential antimicrobial and anti-leishmanial agents. Additionally, in recent years, application of bismuth-based compounds as potent anticancer drugs has been studied extensively.

Methods:

Search for data connected with recent trends on bismuth compounds in cancer chemo- and radiotherapy was carried out using web-based literature searching tools such as ScienceDirect, Springer, Royal Society of Chemistry, American Chemical Society and Wiley. Pertinent literature is covered up to 2016.

Results:

In this review, based on 213 papers, we highlighted a number of current problems connected with: (i) characterization of bismuth complexes with selected thiosemicarbazone, hydrazone, and dithiocarbamate classes of ligands as potential chemotherapeutics. Literature results derived from 50 papers show that almost all bismuth compounds inhibit growth and proliferation of breast, colon, ovarian, lung, and other tumours; (ii) pioneering research on application of bismuth-based nanoparticles and nanodots for radiosensitization. Results show great promise for improvement in therapeutic efficacy of ionizing radiation in advanced radiotherapy (described in 36 papers); and (iii) research challenges in using bismuth radionuclides in targeted radioimmunotherapy, connected with choice of adequate radionuclide, targeting vector, proper bifunctional ligand and problems with 213Bi recoil daughters toxicity (derived from 92 papers).

Conclusion:

This review presents recent research trends on bismuth compounds in cancer chemo- and radiotherapy, suggesting directions for future research.

Radioactive Main Group and Rare Earth Metals for Imaging and Therapy

Radiometals possess an exceptional breadth of decay properties and have been applied to medicine with great success for several decades. The majority of current clinical use involves diagnostic procedures, which use either positron-emission tomography (PET) or single-photon imaging to detect anatomic abnormalities that are difficult to visualize using conventional imaging techniques (e.g., MRI and X-ray). The potential of therapeutic radiometals has more recently been realized and relies on ionizing radiation to induce irreversible DNA damage, resulting in cell death. In both cases, radiopharmaceutical development has been largely geared toward the field of oncology; thus, selective tumor targeting is often essential for efficacious drug use. To this end, the rational design of four-component radiopharmaceuticals has become popularized. This Review introduces fundamental concepts of drug design and applications, with particular emphasis on bifunctional chelators (BFCs), which ensure secure consolidation of the radiometal and targeting vector and are integral for optimal drug performance. Also presented are detailed accounts of production, chelation chemistry, and biological use of selected main group and rare earth radiometals.

Synthetic and theoretical investigation on the one-pot halogenation of β-amino alcohols and nucleophilic ring opening of aziridinium ions

Aziridinium ions are useful reactive intermediates for the synthesis of enantiomerically enriched building blocks. However, N,N-dialkyl aziridinium ions are relatively underutilized in the synthesis of optically active molecules as compared to other three-membered ring cogeners, aziridines and epoxides. The characterization of both optically active aziridinium ions and secondary β-halo amines as the precursor molecules of aziridinium ions has been scarcely reported and is often unclear. In this paper, we report for the first time the preparation and experimental and theoretical characterization of optically active aziridinium ions and secondary β-halo amines. Optically active secondary N,N-substituted β-halo amines were efficiently synthesized from N,N-substituted alaninol via formation and ring opening at the more hindered carbon of aziridinium ions by halides. Optically active β-halo amines and aziridinium ions were characterized by NMR and computational analyses. The structure of an optically active β-chloro amine was confirmed via X-ray crystallographic analysis. The aziridinium ions derived from N,N-dibenzyl alaniol remained stable only for several hours, which was long enough for analyses of NMR and optical activity. The stereospecific ring opening of aziridinium ions by halides was computationally studied using DFT and highly-accurate DLPNO-CCSD(T) methods. The highly regioselective and stereoselective ring opening of aziridinium ions was applied for efficient one-pot conversion of β-alaninols to enantiomerically enriched β-amino alcohols, β-amino nitriles, and vicinal diamine derivatives.

Synthesis and comparative biological evaluation of bifunctional ligands for radiotherapy applications of (90)Y and (177)Lu

Zevalin® is an antibody-drug conjugate radiolabeled with a cytotoxic radioisotope ((90)Y) that was approved for radioimmunotherapy (RIT) of B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. A bifunctional ligand that displays favorable complexation kinetics and in vivo stability is required for effective RIT. New bifunctional ligands 3p-C-DE4TA and 3p-C-NE3TA for potential use in RIT were efficiently prepared by the synthetic route based on regiospecific ring opening of aziridinium ions with prealkylated triaza- or tetraaza-backboned macrocycles. The new bifunctional ligands 3p-C-DE4TA and 3p-C-NE3TA along with the known bimodal ligands 3p-C-NETA and 3p-C-DEPA were comparatively evaluated for potential use in targeted radiotherapy using β-emitting radionuclides (90)Y and (177)Lu. The bifunctional ligands were evaluated for radiolabeling kinetics with (90)Y and (177)Lu, and the corresponding (90)Y or (177)Lu-radiolabeled complexes were studied for in vitro stability in human serum and in vivo biodistribution in mice. The results of the comparative complexation kinetic and stability studies indicate that size of macrocyclic cavity, ligand denticity, and bimodality of donor groups have a substantial impact on complexation of the bifunctional ligands with the radiolanthanides. The new promising bifunctional chelates in the DE4TA and NE3TA series were rapid in binding (90)Y and (177)Lu, and the corresponding (90)Y- and (177)Lu-radiolabeled complexes remained inert in human serum or in mice. The in vitro and in vivo data show that 3p-C-DE4TA and 3p-C-NE3TA are promising bifunctional ligands for targeted radiotherapy applications of (90)Y and (177)Lu.

Synthesis and evaluation of a new bifunctional NETA chelate for molecular targeted radiotherapy using(90)Y or(177)Lu

INTRODUCTION

Therapeutic potential of β-emitting cytotoxic radionuclides (90)Y and (177)Lu has been demonstrated in numerous preclinical and clinical trials. A bifunctional chelate that can effectively complex with the radioisotopes is a critical component for molecular targeted radiotherapy (90)Y and (177)Lu. A new bifunctional chelate 5p-C-NETA with a relatively long alkyl spacer between the chelating backbone and the functional unit for conjugation to a tumor targeting moiety was synthesized. 5p-C-NETA was conjugated to a model targeting moiety, a cyclic Arg-Gly-Asp-D-Tyr-Lys (RGDyK) peptide binding integrin αvβ3 protein overexpressed on various cancers. 5p-C-NETA was conjugated to c(RGDyK) peptide and evaluated for potential use in molecular targeted radiotherapy of (90)Y and (177)Lu.

METHODS

5p-C-NETA conjugated with c(RGDyK) was evaluated in vitro for radiolabeling, serum stability, binding affinity, and the result of the in vitro studies of 5p-C-NETA-c(RGDyK) was compared to that of 3p-C-NETA-c(RGDyK). (177)Lu-5p-C-NETA-c(RGDyK) was further evaluated for in vivo biodistribution using gliobastoma bearing mice.

RESULT

The new chelate rapidly and tightly bound to a cytotoxic radioisotope for cancer therapy, (90)Y or (177)Lu with excellent radiolabeling efficiency and maximum specific activity under mild condition (>99%, RT, <1 min). (90)Y- and (177)Lu-radiolabeled complexes of the new chelator remained stable in human serum without any loss of the radiolanthanide for 14 days. Introduction of the tumor targeting RGD moiety to the new chelator made little impact on complexation kinetics and stability with (90)Y or (177)Lu. (177)Lu-radiolabeled 5p-C-NETA-c(RGDyK) conjugate was shown to target tumors in mice and produced a favorable in vivo stability profile.

CONCLUSION

The results of in vitro and in vivo evaluation suggest that 5p-C-NETA is an effective bifunctional chelate of (90)Y and (177)Lu that can be applied for generation of versatile molecular targeted radiopharmaceuticals.

Novel hexadentate and pentadentate chelators for ⁶⁴Cu-based targeted PET imaging

A series of new hexadentate and pentadentate chelators were designed and synthesized as chelators of (64)Cu. The new pentadentate and hexadentate chelators contain different types of donor groups and are expected to form neutral complexes with Cu(II). The new chelators were evaluated for complex kinetics and stability with (64)Cu. The new chelators instantly bound to (64)Cu with high labeling efficiency and maximum specific activity. All (64)Cu-radiolabeled complexes in human serum remained intact for 2 days. The (64)Cu-radiolabeled complexes were further challenged by EDTA in a 100-fold molar excess. Among the (64)Cu-radiolabeled complexes evaluated, (64)Cu-complex of the new chelator E was well tolerated with a minimal transfer of (64)Cu to EDTA. (64)Cu-radiolabeled complex of the new chelator E was further evaluated for biodistribution studies using mice and displayed rapid blood clearance and low organ uptake. (64)Cu-chelator E produced a favorable in vitro and in vivo complex stability profiles comparable to (64)Cu complex of the known hexadentate NOTA chelator. The in vitro and in vivo data highlight strong potential of the new chelator E for targeted PET imaging application.

Matching chelators to radiometals for radiopharmaceuticals

Radiometals comprise many useful radioactive isotopes of various metallic elements. When properly harnessed, these have valuable emission properties that can be used for diagnostic imaging techniques, such as single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT, e.g.(67)Ga, (99m)Tc, (111)In, (177)Lu) and positron emission tomography (PET, e.g.(68)Ga, (64)Cu, (44)Sc, (86)Y, (89)Zr), as well as therapeutic applications (e.g.(47)Sc, (114m)In, (177)Lu, (90)Y, (212/213)Bi, (212)Pb, (225)Ac, (186/188)Re). A fundamental critical component of a radiometal-based radiopharmaceutical is the chelator, the ligand system that binds the radiometal ion in a tight stable coordination complex so that it can be properly directed to a desirable molecular target in vivo. This article is a guide for selecting the optimal match between chelator and radiometal for use in these systems. The article briefly introduces a selection of relevant and high impact radiometals, and their potential utility to the fields of radiochemistry, nuclear medicine, and molecular imaging. A description of radiometal-based radiopharmaceuticals is provided, and several key design considerations are discussed. The experimental methods by which chelators are assessed for their suitability with a variety of radiometal ions is explained, and a large selection of the most common and most promising chelators are evaluated and discussed for their potential use with a variety of radiometals. Comprehensive tables have been assembled to provide a convenient and accessible overview of the field of radiometal chelating agents.

Synthesis and preclinical evaluation of bifunctional ligands for improved chelation chemistry of 90Y and 177Lu for targeted radioimmunotherapy

We report a practical and high-yield synthesis of a bimodal bifunctional ligand 3p-C-NETA-NCS containing the isothiocyanate group for conjugation to a tumor targeting antibody. 3p-C-NETA-NCS was conjugated to a tumor-targeting antibody, trastuzumab, and the corresponding 3p-C-NETA-trastuzumab conjugate was evaluated and compared to trastuzumab conjugates of the known bifunctional ligands C-DOTA, C-DTPA, and 3p-C-DEPA for radiolabeling kinetics with (90)Y and (177)Lu. 3p-C-NETA-trastuzumab conjugate exhibited extremely rapid complexation kinetics with (90)Y and (177)Lu. (90)Y-3p-C-NETA-trastuzumab and (177)Lu-3p-C-NETA-trastuzumab conjugates were stable in human serum for 2 weeks. A pilot biodistribution study was conducted to evaluate in vivo stability and tumor targeting of (177)Lu-radiolabeled trastuzumab conjugate using nude mice bearing ZR-75-1 human breast cancer. (177)Lu-3p-C-NETA-trastuzumab conjugate displayed low radioactivity level at blood (1.6%), low organ uptake (<2.2%), and high tumor-to-blood ratio (6.4) at 120 h. 3p-C-NETA possesses favorable in vitro and in vivo profiles and is an excellent bifunctional chelator that can be used for targeted RIT applications using (90)Y and (177)Lu and has the potential to replace DOTA and DTPA analogues in current clinical use.

Convenient Synthesis and Evaluation of Heptadentate Bifunctional Ligand for Radioimmunotherapy Applications

An efficient synthetic route to a bifunctional chelating agent C-NE3TA-NCS for antibody-targeted radioimmunotherapy (RIT) applications was developed. Various synthetic methods centered on the key reaction steps including bimolecular cyclization, ring opening reactions of aziridine and aziridinium cations, and reductive aminiation were explored to optimize the preparation of a tetraaza-based chelate TANPA and C-NE3TA analogues. Heptadentate C-NE3TA-NCS was conjugated to a tumor targeting antibody and compared to hexadentate C-NOTA-NCS for radiolabeling reaction kinetics with lanthanides for RIT. C-NE3TA-antibody conjugate displayed significantly enhanced complexation kinetics with 90Y as compared to C-NOTA-antibody conjugate. The synthetic methods for TANPA and C-NE3TA-NCS reported herein have broad applications for preparation of bifunctioanl macrocyclic chelating agents.

Efficient bifunctional decadentate ligand 3p-C-DEPA for targeted α-radioimmunotherapy applications

A new bifunctional ligand 3p-C-DEPA was synthesized and evaluated for use in targeted α-radioimmunotherapy. 3p-C-DEPA was efficiently prepared via regiospecific ring opening of an aziridinium ion and conjugated with trastuzumab. The 3p-C-DEPA-trastuzumab conjugate was extremely rapid in binding (205/6)Bi, and the corresponding (205/6)Bi-3p-C-DEPA-trastuzumab complex was stable in human serum. Biodistribution studies were performed to evaluate in vivo stability and tumor targeting of (205/6)Bi-3p-C-DEPA-trastuzumab conjugate in tumor bearing athymic mice. (205/6)Bi-3p-C-DEPA-trastuzumab conjugate displayed excellent in vivo stability and targeting as evidenced by low organ uptake and high tumor uptake. The results of the in vitro and in vivo studies indicate that 3p-C-DEPA is a promising chelator for radioimmunotherapy of (212)Bi and (213)Bi.