Development of new peptide conjugates for radiolabeling.

The objective of this research project includes the further extension of our expertise for the development of other radiopharmaceuticals based on bombesin and GnRH as targeting peptides, the optimization of the pharmacokinetic properties of the radiolabeled peptides using carbohydration methods, and the development of new histidine-based tridentate chelators in order to solve the problems of regioselective reactions. In addition to diagnostic applications using 99mTc, therapeutic applications are aimed by incorporation of the radionuclides 186/188Re, 67Cu, and 177Lu with their appropriate chelators ((N?His)Ac, CPTA 12, and DOTA 13,14,15 respectively). The optimal radionuclide for therapy has to be selected based on the best combination of the decay properties of the radionuclide and the pharmacological properties of the peptide analog.