Start/end date: September 2024 – September 2025
Funding Agency/Programme: Ministry of University and Research. Innovation Ecosystem “THE – Tuscany Health Ecosystem“. National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP). Cascade call managed by CNR-INO as Spoke 1.
Partnership: Fondazione Ri.MED (Coordinator); La Maddalena S.p.A., Palermo (partner).
Abstract: Prostate cancer (PC) is the second most common cancer in men, and new therapeutic approaches are improving survival and quality of life. Theranostic agents simultaneously diagnose and treat by targeting the same target site. For therapeutic purposes, theranostic agents can be combined with radioisotopes that emit alpha (a) or beta (usually b-) radiation. b emitters act at long range and low energy, increasing cytotoxicity to tumor cells rather than delivering a lethal dose to a single targeted tumor cell. The most commonly used b- emitting radionuclides in nuclear medicine include Lutetium-177 (Lu-177), Yttrium-90 (Y-90), and Iodine-131 (I-131). Lu-177 (half-life 6.64 days) is an ideal candidate for imaging and therapy radiotracer labeling. In oncology, Lu-177 is used for labeling biological vectors specific for prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA). PSMA of CP plays a crucial role in the glutamate pathway and folate metabolism. Involved in tumor development and progression, PSMA is an excellent target for theranostic radiopharmaceuticals. PSMA is overexpressed in PC cells, and is internalized via clathrin-coated vesicles by endocytosis when targeted by appropriate ligands. Internalization increases tumor uptake and retention, enhancing image quality and radiation dosage at the target site.
Ri.MED Principal Investigator: Albert Comelli
Other Ri.MED collaborators: Junaid Ali; Akhtar Rasool.
Il progetto è finanziato dall’Unione Europea (NextGeneration EU), M4/C2/I1.5 Creazione e rafforzamento di “Ecosistemi dell’Innovazione per la sostenibilità”, Costruzione di “Leader territoriali di R&S”, dal titolo “THE – Tuscany Health Ecosystem” (ECS00000017).