Fully Automated Production and Characterization of 64 Cu and Proof-of-Principle Small-Animal PET Imaging Using 64 Cu-Labelled CA XII Targeting 6A10 Fab.

64 Cu is a cyclotron-produced radionuclide which offers, thanks to its characteristic decay scheme, the possibility of combining positron emission tomography (PET) investigations with radiotherapy. We evaluated the Alceo system from Comecer SpA to automatically produce 64 Cu for radiolabelling purposes. We established a 64 Cu production routine with high yields and radionuclide purity in combination with excellent operator radiation protection. The carbonic anhydrase XII targeting 6A10 antibody Fab fragment was successfully radiolabelled with the produced 64 Cu, and proof-of-principle small-animal PET experiments on mice bearing glioma xenografts were performed. We obtained a high tumor-to-contralateral muscle ratio, which encourages further in vivo investigations of the radioconjugate regarding a possible application in diagnostic tumor imaging.