90Y-DOTA-Lanreotide: A potential agent for targeted therapy

Several human tumors such as neuroendocrine tumors, medullary thyroid carcinoma, etc., express somatostatin receptors which specifically bind somatostatin and its analogues such as lanreotide, octreotide, etc. In order to prepare a therapeutic agent for targeting such tumors, attempts were made to prepare ⁹⁰Y-DOTA-Lanreotide. Lanreotide could be successfully conjugated with the macrocyclic chelating agent DOTA (1,4,7,10-tetraaza cyclododecane tetracetic acid) which forms stable complexes with ⁹⁰Y. ⁹⁰Y-DOTA-Lanreotide could be prepared in >98% radiochemical purity and remained stable for 72 hours at room temperature. The tracer showed specific binding to A431 cells. Biodistribution studies in C57BL6 mice bearing melanoma showed ∼1.3% uptake pergram of tumor at 24-hour p.i.