A recently created radiotracer can produce clear images of cardiac amyloidosis, often called the “Alzheimer’s disease of the heart.” This new radiotracer, 99mTc-p5+14, is the first of its kind and is designed for planar and SPECT/CT imaging. It could be very important for the early detection and treatment of cardiac amyloidosis.A new radiotracer called 99mTc-p5+14, which is used for planar and SPECT/CT imaging, may play a crucial role in the early detection and treatment of cardiac amyloidosis. This study was presented at the 2024 Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging Annual Meeting.
Amyloidosis is a progressive and incurable disease characterized by the accumulation of abnormal proteins in the body’s tissues and organs. Approximately 20 percent of patients with amyloid build-up in the heart face premature death. While advancements in the treatment of cardiac amyloidosis have improved patient outcomes, the median survival rate remains relatively low.Therapies that can slow down the progression of amyloid deposition have been created, but they are not successful for patients with advanced disease. This is why it is crucial to be able to detect cardiac amyloidosis early on, as stated by Jonathan Wall, PhD, who is the director of the Amyloidosis and Cancer Theranostics Program at the University of Tennessee Graduate School of Medicine. Currently, there are no FDA-approved imaging agents for detecting cardiac amyloidosis. In response to this problem, researchers have created a new technology.technetium-99m labeled variant of the pan-amyloid reactive peptide p5+14 (99mTc-p5+14) was used in a first-in-human study. The study included five healthy volunteers and 30 patients who were newly diagnosed with light chain or transthyretin amyloidosis. They underwent 99mTc-p5+14 imaging with standard planar gamma scintigraphy and SPECT/CT. Blood samples were collected to evaluate serum biomarkers, and a transthoracic echocardiogram was performed. Most patients also underwent standard 99mTc-pyrophosphate imaging 72 hours after the 99mTc-p5+14 imaging. The images generated using 99mTc-p5+14 were planar and SPECT/CT.of excellent quality and easily understandable at both one and three hours after injection. Individuals with amyloid cardiomyopathy exhibited significant 99mTc-p5+14 uptake in the heart, while no cardiac uptake was seen in healthy individuals.
Wall stated, “An early and accurate diagnosis of cardiac amyloidosis is essential for ensuring the best possible outcomes for patients. Imaging with 99mTc-p5+14 could offer a user-friendly and easily interpretable technology that could be utilized in the community cardiology setting, where SPECT imaging is commonly used, as a rapid screening tool for amyloid cardiomyopathy in the future.”
The 99mTc-p5+14 radiotracer is currently undergoing early-stage clinical evaluation at the University of Tennessee Graduate School of Medicine in partnership with Attralus Inc. This evaluation is being done to determine the safety and effectiveness of the radiotracer in patients with cardiac amyloidosis and in healthy individuals. The information and knowledge gained from this research will help in starting a crucial Phase 3 study and in submitting approval applications to the FDA in the near future.
Abstract 241277. “Preliminary Evaluation of 99mTc-Labeled Peptide p5+14 for the Detection of Cardiopulmonary Amyloidosis Using SPECT/CT and Planar Gamma Scintigraphic Imaging,” Jonathan Wall, Emily Martin, Alan StuckeThe authors of this article are Bryan Whittle, Joseph Jackson, Angela Williams, Trevor Hancock, R. Eric Heidel, Muddassir Mehmood, Anne Kassira, Ronald Lands, Hannah Watson, Rebecca Hung, and Stephen Kennel from the University of Tennessee Graduate School of Medicine, Knoxville, Tennessee.
