IAEA Contribution to Nanosized Targeted Radiopharmaceuticals for Drug Delivery

Abstract

The rapidly growing interest in the application of nanoscience in the future design of radiopharmaceuticals and the development of nanosized radiopharmaceuticals in the late 2000′s, resulted in the creation of a Coordinated Research Project (CRP) by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in 2014. This CRP entitled ‘Nanosized delivery systems for radiopharmaceuticals’ involved a team of expert scientist from various member states. This team of scientists worked on a number of cutting-edge areas of nanoscience with a focus on developing well-defined, highly effective and site-specific delivery systems of radiopharmaceuticals. Specifically, focus areas of various teams of scientists comprised of the development of nanoparticles (NPs) based on metals, polymers, and gels, and their conjugation/encapsulation or decoration with various tumor avid ligands such as peptides, folates, and small molecule phytochemicals. The research and development efforts also comprised of developing optimum radiolabeling methods of various nano vectors using diagnostic and therapeutic radionuclides including Tc-99m, Ga-68, Lu-177 and Au-198. Concerted efforts of teams of scientists within this CRP has resulted in the development of various protocols and guidelines on delivery systems of nanoradiopharmaceuticals, training of numerous graduate students/post-doctoral fellows and publications in peer reviewed journals while establishing numerous productive scientific networks in various participating member states. Some of the innovative nanoconstructs were chosen for further preclinical applications—all aimed at ultimate clinical translation for treating human cancer patients. This review article summarizes outcomes of this major international scientific endeavor.

Highlight selection of radiochemistry and radiopharmacy developments by editorial board

“…EPR allows proper drug delivery to cancer tissues that enhance drug pharmacokinetics, and precise targeting that leads to fewer side effects and drug resistance (Xiao et al 2021 ). Other new approaches evaluated the use of nanocarriers in radioisotope delivery for cancer diagnosis and therapy (Jalilian et al 2022 ). A new publication discussed the optimization of radioiodinated acemetacin-loaded niosomes for cancer therapy (Shewaiter et al 2022 ).…”

Nanostrategies for Therapeutic and Diagnostic Targeting of Gastrin-Releasing Peptide Receptor

“…The latter was found to be overexpressed in most of the abovementioned cancers that are rising the biggest death toll. Therefore, GRPR is attracting the particular attention of numerous research groups dealing with targeted nanomedicines, including those gathered in the Coordinated Research Project "Nanosized delivery systems for radiopharmaceuticals" by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in 2014-2019 [4]. They have developed various strategies to exploit the potential of GRPR targeting with nanoformulations aiming at either cancer treatment, imaging, and diagnosis, or the combination of those two modalities.…”

Nanostrategies for Therapeutic and Diagnostic Targeting of Gastrin-Releasing Peptide Receptor

“…They focus on applications of GRPR ligands in combination with radioisotopes such as 64 Cu and 68 Ga for positron emission tomography (PET) in breast and prostate cancers [ 6 , 7 ]. Interest of the nuclear medicine community in GRPR targeting was also expressed by the launch of the Coordinated Research Project “Nanosized delivery systems for radiopharmaceuticals” by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in 2014–2019 [ 8 ]. Researchers dealing with targeted nanomedicines and nuclear sciences have developed various strategies to exploit the potential of GRPR targeting with nanoformulations aiming at either cancer treatment, imaging, and diagnosis, or the combination of those two modalities.…”