Unleashing Medical Innovation: First Astatine-labeled Compound Shipped in the U.S.
At-211 undergoes purification and a series of quality checks. Photo Credit: UW Research Scientist Don Hamlin
In a groundbreaking achievement, the first shipment of a compound labeled with astatine-211(At-211) has been successfully
delivered in the United States. This milestone represents a significant step beyond the shipment of "bare" isotope.
The Department of Energy Isotope Program (DOE IP) enabled the first demonstration of long-distance transportation of “wet chemistry” isolated At-211 attached or “labelled” to a biologically active compound. Upon delivery the “labelled” product was analyzed and showed no signs of damage due to a process known as radiolysis. Astatine-211 is being pioneered as an alpha-emitting treatment option in clinical trials for blood cancers and is being explored in early-stage R&D in Alzheimer's disease.
The DOE IP enabled this research through the provision of the isotope via its university partner, the University of Washington. This research underscores the promising future of At-211 in advancing novel medical treatments.
