NorthStar Medical Radioisotopes and radiopharmaceutical firm Clarity Pharmaceuticals are joining forces on the supply of the therapeutic radioisotope copper-67 (Cu-67). NorthStar is also partnering with biopharmaceutical firm Monopar Therapeutics on a patent.
NorthStar will supply Cu-67 exclusively to Clarity as an active pharmaceutical ingredient in Clarity's targeted copper theranostics programs. The agreement covers clinical development and commercial supply of Cu-67 to treat neuroblastoma, breast cancer, prostate cancer, and more.
The radioisotope is beta-emitting and can directly target and deliver therapeutic doses of radiation to destroy cancer cells. Previously, lack of effective copper chelating technology limited Cu-67's development. Clarity is handling that side of things while NorthStar focuses on supply.
In other NorthStar news, the firm has filed a provisional patent with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in conjunction with Monopar Therapeutics. The patent covers radiopharmaceutical therapy using actinium-225 (Ac-225), an emerging radioactive isotope with a long half-life, high potency, and induction of localized cell death. The two firms observed using the metal-binding agent PCTA to attach Ac-225 to antibodies resulted in nearly 100% binding of Ac-225 to the PCTA-antibody conjugates.
The binding could potentially improve efficacy, safety, and enhance manufacturing efficiency of actinium-based radiopharmaceuticals because it could solve the decay that happens during transport, according to the firms. Also, high-affinity binding may decrease the amount of Ac-225 and its daughter ions that detach from the antibody, potentially increasing efficacy and reducing off-target toxicity to enable higher dosing.
The firms plan to explore both internal development and out-licensing opportunities of this approach in actinium-based radiopharmaceuticals, they said.
