Title:Feasibility of a Scale-down Production of [68Ga]Ga-NODAGA-Exendin-4
in a Hospital Based Radiopharmacy
Volume: 15
Issue: 1
Author(s): Silvia Migliari*, Antonino Sammartano, Maura Scarlattei, Giorgio Baldari, Barbara Janota, Riccardo C. Bonadonna and Livia Ruffini
Affiliation:
- Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging Department, University Hospital of Parma, via Gramsci 14, 43126 Parma,
Italy
Keywords:
[68Ga]Ga-NODAGA-Exendin-4, PET imaging, pancreatic beta cells, insulinoma, type 2 diabetes, GLP-1 receptor.
Abstract:
Background: Glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor (GLP-1R) is preferentially expressed in
β-cells, but it is highly expressed in human insulinomas and gastrinomas. Several GLP-1 receptor–
avid radioligands have been developed to image insulin-secreting tumors or to provide a quantitative
in vivo biomarker of pancreatic β-cell mass. Exendin-4 is a high affinity ligand of the GLP1-
R, which is a candidate for being labeled with a PET isotope and used for imaging purposes.
Objective: Here, we report the development and validation results of a semi-manual procedure to label
[Lys40,Nle14(Ahx-NODAGA)NH2]exendin-4, with Ga-68.
Methods: A68Ge/68Ga Generator (GalliaPharma®, Eckert and Ziegler) was eluted with 0.1M HCl
on an automated synthesis module (Scintomics GRP®).
The peptide contained in the kit vial (Radioisotope Center POLATOM) in different amounts
(10-20-30 μg) was reconstituted with 2-[4-(2-hydroxyethyl)piperazin-1-yl]ethansulfonic acid (HEPES)
solution and 68GaCl3 (400–900 MBq), followed by 10 min incubation at 95°C. The reaction solution
was then purified through an Oasis HLB column.
The radiopharmaceutical product was tested for quality controls (CQs) in accordance with the European
Pharmacopoeia standards.
Results: The synthesis of [68Ga]Ga-NODAGA-Exendin-4 provided optimal results with 10 μg of
peptide, getting the best radiochemical yield (23.53 ± 2.4%), molar activity (100 GBq/μmol) and radiochemical
purity (91.69%).
Conclusion: The study developed an imaging tool [68Ga]Ga-NODAGA-Exendin-4, avoiding pharmacological
effects of exendin-4, for the clinical community.