Selective Chelation of the Exotic Meitner-Auger Emitter Mercury-197 m/g with Sulfur-Rich Macrocyclic Ligands: Towards the Future of Theranostic Radiopharmaceuticals.

Mercury-197 m/g are a promising pair of radioactive isomers for incorporation into a theranostic as they can be used as a diagnostic agent using SPECT imaging and a therapeutic via Meitner-Auger electron emissions. However, the current absence of ligands able to stably coordinate Hg to a tumour-targeting vector precludes their use in vivo. To address this, we report herein a series of sulfur-rich chelators capable of incorporating Hg into a radiopharmaceutical.

Meitner-Auger Electron Emitters for Targeted Radionuclide Therapy: Mercury-197m/g and Antimony-119.

Targeted Radionuclide Therapies (TRTs) based on Auger emitting radionuclides have the potential to deliver extremely selective therapeutic payloads on the cellular level. However, to fully exploit this potential, suitable radionuclides need to be applied in combination with appropriate delivery systems. In this review, we summarize the state-of-the-art production, purification, chelation and applications of two promising candidates for Targeted Auger Therapy, namely antimony- 119 (Sb) and mercury-197 (Hg).