Work

Radiolabeling efficiency of FENTA chelators and stability of their terbium-161, lutetium-177 and bismuth-213 complexes

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Background Phenanthroline derivatives are well-known chelators in coordination chemistry, but their potential in the rapidly evolving field of targeted radionuclide therapy (TRT) has not yet been explored. In TRT, DOTA remains the gold standard chelator for several clinically relevant radionuclides such as terbium-161, lutetium-177 and bismuth-213. However, its requirement for elevated labeling temperatures is a drawback, particularly for heat-sensitive targeting vectors. Although several alternative chelators have been reported in recent years, there remains an interest in new systems with suitable complexation properties. In this work, we evaluate whether phenanthroline-based ligands can serve as useful chelators in TRT, using the octadentate chelator H 4 FENTA and a newly developed bifunctional analog, BF-FENTA. Their ability to complex [ 161 Tb]Tb 3+ , [ 177 Lu]Lu 3+ , and [ 213 Bi]Bi 3+ , as well as their kinetic inertness, was assessed and compared to the benchmark chelators DOTA and CHX-A”-DTPA. Results BF-FENTA was prepared via mono-substitution of 2,9-bis(chloromethyl)-1,10-phenanthroline with di- tert -butyl iminodiacetate, followed by a second substitution with the bifunctional arm. Both H 4 FENTA and BF-FENTA efficiently incorporated [ 161 Tb]Tb 3+ under mild conditions within 15 min at an apparent molar activity (AMA) of 150 MBq/nmol. Stability studies showed that both chelators formed an unstable complex with [ 161 Tb]Tb 3+ , while the [ 177 Lu]Lu 3+ chelates showed similar stability compared to DOTA after 7 days in human serum. However, a DTPA challenge indicated a reduced kinetic inertness for both FENTA chelators compared to DOTA. For [ 213 Bi]Bi 3+ , rapid incorporation was observed with the phenanthroline chelators, with H 4 FENTA achieving high radiochemical conversions (> 90%) at high AMAs of up to ~ 200 MBq/nmol after 5 min. Additionally, H 4 FENTA displayed a high selectivity for [ 213 Bi]Bi 3+ in the presence of competing metal ions. BF-FENTA showed slightly less favorable chelation properties with [ 213 Bi]Bi 3+ compared to H 4 FENTA. Nonetheless, the [ 213 Bi]Bi 3+ complexes remained intact in both buffer (NH 4 OAc, pH 6.0) and human serum after 90 min. Conclusion Both H 4 FENTA and BF-FENTA rapidly incorporated terbium-161, lutetium-177, and bismuth-213. While the kinetic inertness of their terbium-161 and lutetium-177 complexes was inadequate, H 4 FENTA exhibited favorable kinetic inertness with bismuth-213 over the 90 min timeframe, identifying it as a promising chelator. In contrast, further structural refinement is needed for its bifunctional analog.

Source: EJNMMI Radiopharmacy and Chemistry

DOI: 10.1186/s41181-026-00438-y