Bifunctional cyclam derivatives with a bis(phosphinate) pendant arm as efficient chelators for copper radionuclides


Bifunctional cyclam derivatives with a bis(phosphinate) pendant arm as efficient chelators for copper radionuclides

David, T.; Hlinová, V.; Kubíček, V.; Bergmann, R.; Pietzsch, H.-J.; Hermann, P.

Bifunctional cyclam derivatives with one bis(phosphinic acid) pendant arm bearing carboxylate, amine, isothiocyanate, azide or cyclooctyne functions in the pendant arm side chain were synthesized (Figure). The bifunctional groups were introduced far from the metal-binding site, either by using newly synthesized bis(phosphinic acid) precursors or by modifying the reactive groups. Direct coupling without protecting the pendant phosphinate or ring secondary amine groups was feasible. The ligands were successfully conjugated to model compounds including oligopeptides, biotin or fluorescent dye.
Labeling of the bifunctional ligands with 64Cu showed very high radiolabeling efficiency, leading to a significantly higher molar activity than that described for other commonly used macrocyclic chelators. It confirms that using properly designed phosphinic acid pendant arm(s) is a good strategy to achieve conjugation flexibility (due to the distant bifunctional site) without compromising the radiolabeling efficiency or the high specific activity of radiopharmaceuticals.
A prototypic representative was evaluated in-vivo by metabolite analysis, biodistribution studies and PET scans. The data clearly showed the very high metabolic stability of the 64Cu chelate unit as no decomplexation was detected. Except for the excretory organs, no prominent uptake and retention was observed.
Thus, bis(phosphinate)-bearing cyclam-based ligands are highly promising radiocopper chelators for conjugation to targeting units, such as peptides, oligonucleotides or antibodies and their fragments.

  • Poster
    TeraChem 2018, 26.-29.09.2018, Brixen, Italien

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Publ.-Id: 28029