Radiopharmaceutical production

The radiotracers produced in the INM-5 (so-called radiopharmaceuticals) are generally synthesized by coupling a short-lived positron emitter to an organic compound. These can be, for example, labelled pharmaceuticals or metabolic substrates such as glucose, amino acids, and fatty acids. As positron emitters, carbon-11, oxygen-15 and fluorine-18 are commonly used in routine production. Due to the high amounts of radioactivity, these labelling reactions were performed in remotely-controlled synthesis devices located in well shielded lead cells (so-called "hot cells"). The production of radiopharmaceuticals for human use is subjected to the rules of GMP (good manufacturing practice) and the German drug law.

The syntheses in remotely-controlled synthesis devices as well as in compliance with the GMP regulations require reliable radiosynthetic methods including few reaction steps and low use of toxicologically questionable chemicals. The research in this area focusses on a simplification and optimization of the routine production of the used radiopharmaceuticals that enable a wider use in PET.