Public Abstract

DE-SC0020958: Improvements to 211At Production at Texas A&M University Cyclotron Institute

Award Status: Active

Institution: Texas A&M University, College Station, TX
UEI: JF6XLNB4CDJ5
DUNS: 020271826

Most Recent Award Date: 06/24/2024
Number of Support Periods: 4
PM: Balkin, Ethan

Current Budget Period: 07/01/2024 - 06/30/2025
Current Project Period: 07/01/2022 - 06/30/2025
PI: Yennello, Sherry

Supplement Budget Period: N/A

Public Abstract

This grant will enable researchers at Texas A&M University to continue to develop the capability to produce, purify and provide isotopes through the National Isotope Development Centeras part of the University Isotope Network. Initial activities will be focused on At-211 as it is the furthest along toward availability through the NIDC. The experience garnered through the work on At-211 will provide baseline expertise for the development of production routes for other isotopes. Researchers have become increasingly interested in targeted alpha therapy (TAT) drugs for cancer treatment. TAT is a process in which an alpha (α) emitting atom that is capable of high damage at a short range is attached to a molecule targeted at cancer cells. At-211 is of particular interest for TAT because it emits one α-particle and has a moderately-short half-life of 7.2 hours Although it is not widely available, At-211 has been used in a number of clinical trials. The trials include treatment of malignant brain tumors, ovarian cancer, and a current study treating advanced hematopoietic (blood/lymph system) malignancies. Texas A&M is one of about 30 sites in the world where astatine-211 can be produced. Making At-211 requires a nuclear reaction resulting from a metal plate of bismuth (Bi) being bombarded by α-particles using a particle accelerator such as the Texas A&M K150 cyclotron. The At-211 is trapped in the Bi target and needs to be extracted through a chemical process. The novel interaction of astatine with organic molecules such as ketones allows for the extraction of the astatine out of a solution of the target dissolved in nitric acid. The incorporation of this organic substance into a chromatography column makes this chemistry rapid and very efficient. Once the astatine is attached to this customized resin, the column can be dried and shipped. This new modality of shipping the isotope on the column enables safer shipping as the isotope is immobilized on a solid substrate, and allows for re-purification immediately before using, thus removing any bismuth decay product that accumulated during shipping.

This grant will enable researchers at Texas A&M University to continue to develop the capability to produce, purify and provide isotopes through the National Isotope Development Centeras part of the University Isotope Network. Initial activities will be focused on At-211 as it is the furthest along toward availability through the NIDC. The experience garnered through the work on At-211 will provide baseline expertise for the development of production routes for other isotopes.

Researchers have become increasingly interested in targeted alpha therapy (TAT) drugs for cancer treatment. TAT is a process in which an alpha (α) emitting atom that is capable of high damage at a short range is attached to a molecule targeted at cancer cells. At-211 is of particular interest for TAT because it emits one α-particle and has a moderately-short half-life of 7.2 hours Although it is not widely available, At-211 has been used in a number of clinical trials. The trials include treatment of malignant brain tumors, ovarian cancer, and a current study treating advanced hematopoietic (blood/lymph system) malignancies.

Texas A&M is one of about 30 sites in the world where astatine-211 can be produced. Making At-211 requires a nuclear reaction resulting from a metal plate of bismuth (Bi) being bombarded by α-particles using a particle accelerator such as the Texas A&M K150 cyclotron. The At-211 is trapped in the Bi target and needs to be extracted through a chemical process. The novel interaction of astatine with organic molecules such as ketones allows for the extraction of the astatine out of a solution of the target dissolved in nitric acid. The incorporation of this organic substance into a chromatography column makes this chemistry rapid and very efficient. Once the astatine is attached to this customized resin, the column can be dried and shipped. This new modality of shipping the isotope on the column enables safer shipping as the isotope is immobilized on a solid substrate, and allows for re-purification immediately before using, thus removing any bismuth decay product that accumulated during shipping.