A major advantage of PET is that the atoms that typically comprise organic molecules, i.e., carbon, oxygen and nitrogen may be replaced by the respective carbon, oxygen or nitrogen positron emitting isotope leaving the investigational drug chemically and biologically identical to the unlabeled parent compound. Recent advances in radionuclide synthesis now allow for a broader array of options for drug candidates to be labeled as probes for PET without affecting the drug’s biochemical properties.
Current applications encompass a diverse field of biological processes including perfusion, metabolism and substrate utilization in various vital organs including heart and brain, gene expression and stem cell tracking, neurotransmitter and receptors, neural activation and plasticity, targeting tumor antigens and elucidating tumor biology such as angiogenesis, hypoxia and apoptosis. The flexibility of labeling molecules that target specific biological pathways or markers and the ability to image the spatial and temporal distribution of the labeled molecule in vivo, further illustrate some of the potential uses of PET in drug development. |
