Comecer mentioned in Applied Radiation and Isotopes Journal

We would like to thank the Cyclotron Radiochemistry Facility, Center for Advanced Biomedical Imaging, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, USA for letting us know that Comecer has just been mentioned in a paper published in the January 2016 issue of Applied Radiation and Isotopes Journal and online at www.sciencedirect.com.

Semi-automated production of ⁸⁹Zr-oxalate/⁸⁹Zr-chloride and the potential of ⁸⁹Zr-chloride in radiopharmaceutical compounding

Mai Lin, Uday Mukhopadhyay, Gregory J. Waligorski, Julius A. Balatoni, Carlos González-Lepera, b, ,
Cyclotron Radiochemistry Facility, Center for Advanced Biomedical Imaging, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, USA
Department of Nuclear Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, USA

Highlights

The optimized semi-automated strategy for ⁸⁹Zr production was developed.
High effective specific activity of ⁸⁹Zr-oxalate/⁸⁹Zr-chloride was obtained.
The use of ⁸⁹Zr-chloride in radiopharmaceutical compounding is proposed.

Abstract

Interest in using ⁸⁹Zr is rapidly increasing for immuno-PET applications due to its unique characteristics and increased availability. The focus of this study was to develop an optimized semi-automated methodology for producing ⁸⁹Zr-oxalate/⁸⁹Zr-chloride, and evaluate the potential application of ⁸⁹Zr-chloride for radiopharmaceutical compounding. The data presented herein will be useful for the production of ⁸⁹Zr-labeled radiopharmaceuticals and their compliance with regulatory issues for both preclinical and clinical use.

Keywords

• ⁸⁹Zr
• Semi-automation
• DFO
• Remote synthesis module
• Radiopharmaceutical compounding
• PET

Comecer is Mentioned in paragraph 2.1 “Cyclotron irradiation” of Applied Radiation and Isotopes Journal

At MD Anderson Cancer Center, our Cyclotron Radiochemistry Facility (CRF) is equipped with a 16.5 MeV cyclotron (PETrace, GE Healthcare, Waukesha, WI). Yttrium-89 discs (diameter: 11.50 mm) were obtained by punching a 0.64 mm thick yttrium foil. The aluminum target holders were home-made to fit the ALCEO EDS/PTS module manufactured by Comecer (Castel Bolognese, Italy) and consisted of a screw-on retaining washer to locate the target foil for cyclotron irradiation. Prior to irradiation, the yttrium was placed and locked inside the target holder. The target was then transferred and mounted in the PETtrace cyclotron through the EDS/PTS module. Initial tests with the target were conducted at incident proton-beam energy of 15.2 MeV. After analysis of radionuclide impurities the incident proton energy was further reduced to 14.5 MeV. Beam currents of 20–40 μA were applied at both energies. The Comecer solid target irradiation station provides efficient target cooling through a helium gas jet directed at the front side of the target while the back side is cooled by chilled water (8.5–9.5 °C). After irradiation, the target was retrieved by the EDS/PTS module and remained in a target storage seat for approximately 1 h to allow for the decay of ^89mZr (t_1/2: 4.16 min). Chemical separation of the target was then performed in a hot cell which contains an in-house built semi-automated remote controlled module.