New Project to Improve Availability of Scanning Drugs, Reduce Hospital Time and Improve Radiation Dosage for Children with Cancer
As part of Neuroblastoma UK’s 2024 Grant Round, Professor Steve Archibald and his team at King’s College London received £268,301 to conduct research into improving the availability of scanning drugs to optimise radiation dose administered in children with neuroblastoma.
The project was awarded £268,301; £143,301 partly funded by Neuroblastoma UK and £125,000 granted by Solving Kids’ Cancer UK supported by funding from Children with Cancer UK.
The 24-month project will focus on developing and producing three highly advanced radioactive medicines - called radiopharmaceuticals - that are not currently available for clinical trials in the UK. These radiopharmaceuticals are essential for using the latest technologies in cancer care, including Total Body PET scans, which provide faster and more detailed images of the entire body, and alpha therapy, a powerful new type of treatment that delivers radiation directly to cancer cells while sparing healthy tissue.
Why is this project important?
Neuroblastoma is an aggressive childhood cancer contributing to 15% of childhood cancer deaths. New, innovative research is desperately needed to find more effective treatment and ultimately a cure.
Nuclear medicine already plays an important role in caring for children with neuroblastoma, but the UK currently lacks access to some of the most promising new tools. Current mIBG therapy, used to treat neuroblastoma, faces a number of logistical challenges that can cause irregularities in supply. This project aims to change that.
Professor Archibald's research team will focus on making three related radiopharmaceuticals: [124I]mIBG, [18F]mFBG, and [211At]mABG, available for both imaging and treatment. These are not currently produced to the standards required for clinical use in the UK or the Republic of Ireland.
Who is leading this research?
Professor Steve Archibald
Spearheaded by Professor Steve Archibald of King’s College London’s School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences, the project unites leading experts from top UK research centres and establishes strategic collaborations with international partners in the Netherlands.
International collaboration plays a crucial role in advancing the production of imaging and therapeutic drugs in the UK. As part of this effort, industrial collaborations will support the development and operation of cutting-edge synthetic chemistry units. Additionally, the KWF Dutch Cancer Charity and Cancer Research UK , have entered into a framework agreement for a multi-centre clinical trial following the completion of this project, to establish the utility of the diagnostic radiopharmaceuticals in neuroblastoma patients.
This initiative is expected to foster long-term partnerships with leading universities and hospitals across the Netherlands.
What are the intended outcomes?
Funded by Neuroblastoma UK’s 2024 Grant Round, this research is focused on delivering faster, more comfortable, and child-friendly scans. Ultimately helping to lay the foundation for more targeted and effective treatments in the future.
The project’s key goals include:
● Developing safe and reliable methods for producing three critical radiopharmaceuticals.
● Reducing scan times for children using advanced Total Body PET technology which will minimise hospital stays and eliminate the need for general anaesthetic.
● Enabling same-day imaging with mFBG, an innovative upgrade to a standard scan, which allows many children to return home the same day and avoid prolonged hospital visits.
● Beginning early-stage testing of a promising new alpha therapy drug, [²¹¹At]mABG, which could offer a powerful new treatment option for neuroblastoma in the years ahead.
These advances could be in place within just two years, paving the way for UK-based clinical trials and giving young patients earlier access to cutting-edge cancer therapies.
Zara Aitchison, Trustee of Grants and Executive Team at Neuroblastoma UK said:
“There is an urgent and unmet need for the development of these scanning drugs. Making them available for use in hospitals could significantly improve care for children with neuroblastoma in the UK”
Professor Steve Archibald, King’s College London said:
“Technology has advanced to offer new opportunities in the treatment for children with neuroblastoma. We want to make them available in the UK and utilise our research infrastructure to advance understanding of neuroblastoma and improve response to therapy.”
