9
Rapid
Microfluidic Production of PET Biomarkers—NanoTek, LLC, 217 FenceRail Gap, Walland, TN
37886-2510; 865-806-2059
Mr.
Joseph Carl Matteo, Principal Investigator, jmatteo@nanotek1.com
Mr.
Joseph Carl Matteo, Business Official, jmatteo@nanotek1.com
DOE
Grant No. DE-FG02-05ER84290
Amount:
$749,250
Positron
Emission Tomography (PET) is a valuable non-invasive imaging tool for the
diagnosis and follow up of such diseases as cancer, heart disease, and
Alzheimer’s. The DOE has
identified a need for novel probes and radiolabeled compounds for PET, along
with advanced methods to deliver them. Short-lived
radioactive tags such as [18F] fluoride ion and [11C]
carbon can be attached to molecules or chemical biomarkers prior to injection
into patients or small animals, and then imaged at various stages of
biodistribution. For example, [18F]
fluorodeoxyglucose has been used to monitor glucose metabolism in the body.
Other more specific biomarkers – e.g., [18F]
fluoromisonidazole, a marker for hypoxia, and [18F] fluorothymidine,
a marker of proliferation – have been developed, but have been extremely
difficult to bring to market. Much
of the problem is that these specialized biomarkers are difficult to synthesize,
often have poor yields, and require expensive precursors.
This project will develop a microfluidic platform to synthesize PET
biomarkers. The technology will
reduce processing times and reagent
usage by a factor of 30 to 100. In
Phase I, small, low cost, modular microreactor cartridges were developed and
used routinely to synthesize a host of PET biomarkers, each with better yields
than conventional chemistry and each within 1 to 2 minutes.
Phase II will develop processes to enable complex multi-step microfluidic
synthesis with intermediate purification, multiple organic solvents, and micro-
purification of the final product.
Commercial
Applications and other Benefits as described by the awardee: The rapid biomarker production technology should reduce production
time, reagent consumption, and manpower requirements.
Commercial applications exist in clinical, pre-clinical, and drug
discovery markets.