What does it take for radiopharmaceuticals to work?

For a radiopharmaceuticals to work, you need a couple of things.

One is a radioisotope payload: something that can destroy unwanted cells or show us exactly what is happening inside the body.

The second is a biological vehicle that ferries the payload and targets it to exactly where it needs to go.

That’s where Professor David Owen comes in.

One of two theme leaders at the new ARC Research Hub for Advanced Manufacture of Targeted Radiopharmaceuticals (AMTAR), David and his team are using novel biologics and radiopharmaceutical manufacturing technologies to help create new, actively targeted medical tools.

"We work on standard antibody formates but also have a strong interest in engineering smaller targeting format molecules – such as nanobodies, monobodies and other variations – to target and bind to novel biological cancer-related targets, or other diseases,” he says.

“These proteins are the vehicles for the radionuclides. It’s how we get the payload to the cancer and spare the rest of the human body from harsh side effects.”

David is an AIBN research group leader and the director of the Protein Expression Facility ( UQ PEF ), which is both self-funded and funded through The University of Queensland , and housed at the AIBN. He also brings a wealth of industry nous to AMTAR thanks to his previous life with biotech Starpharma , a proud AMTAR partner.

On deck for the official launch of AMTAR this week, David says there is huge potential for the hub to develop a range of products that address serious health problems.

“Radiopharmaceuticals have flown under the radar for a long time because they are, technically, very challenging,” he says.

“You’ve got to have the targeting group – whether that’s a protein or a peptide – and you’ve got to marry that up with linking chemistry and then the radiochemistry – so it’s quite difficult.

“But I think we’re at a point now with AMTAR and South East Queensland where you’ve got a critical mass of excellent scientists and clinicians within the hospitals close by. The AIBN is central to this with core capabilities in chemistry and biochemistry , the local hospitals with excellent clinicians coupled with the industry players who are pushing into this space.

“It’s coming into a very exciting time for the field as a whole. It’s finally starting to get significant commercial validation, which will drive more activities and more new drugs.”

You can read more about AMTAR and the team driving the AIBN team driving radiopharmaceutical revolution here: https://bit.ly/4a6EUHi