A new targeted radiopharmaceutical for treatment of anaplastic thyroid cancer

Important results from the project

The purpose of the project was to develop and optimize a new radiopharmaceutical for the treatment of anaplastic thyroid cancer, and to prepare the project for clinical trials. In the project, we have developed a candidate drug that is labeled with the radionuclide 177Lu. We have shown in various cancer models that our radiopharmaceutical specifically binds and kills the cancer cells, while at the same time sparing normal tissue. A patent application has been submitted, and an advisory meeting with the Swedish Medical Products Agency has confirmed the clinical development plan.

Expected long term effects

In addition to developing a potential treatment that may prolong the survival of patients with advanced thyroid cancer, the project is expected to contribute to actively building national and interdisciplinary collaborations, establish avenues for clinical translation of antibody-based molecular radiation therapy, and in the long term also contribute to Swedish radiation oncology by developing and validating antibody-based molecular radiation therapy as a target-specific complement to external beam radiation therapy.

Approach and implementation

The project focused on four parts: Business development, development of preclinical models, preclinical characterization of the drug candidate, and preclinical development and preparation for clinical studies. The work has been done in silico, in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo, both at Uppsala University, Karolinska University Hospital and at SciLifeLab, as well as by external expert consultants.