Carbon-11 labelling of the antitumour agent N-[2-(dimethylamino)ethyl]acridine-4-carboxamide (DACA) and determination of plasma metabolites in man.

The potential anti-cancer agent N-[2-(dimethylamino)ethyl] acridine-4-carboxamide, DACA has been labelled with carbon-11. N-[2-11C-methyl]DACA was produced in 73% radiochemical yield from [11C]iodomethane in 40 min from EOB. The average radiochemical yield was 3.2 GBq with specific radioactivity of 41.5 GBq mumol-1 at EOS, corresponding to 24 micrograms of stable DACA. The position of labelling was confirmed by co-labelling with [11/13C]iodomethane. PET studies in patients have been performed prior to Phase I trial of DACA and during Phase I trial of DACA. Analysis of serial plasma samples showed that the metabolism of N-[2-11C-methyl]DACA is rapid and extensive in patient plasma.