A new PET tracer called FETO uses a longer-lived radioactive tag to give patients with neuroendocrine tumours more flexible access to diagnostic scans. Current tracers for these tumours break down quickly, which forces hospitals to produce them on-site and limits how far they can travel. Many patients cannot get a scan when they need one. FETO uses a different radioactive atom that stays active longer, so doses can be made at a central facility and shipped to more hospitals. Early clinical tests have shown the tracer is safe and works as well as the existing gold-standard option. If FETO reaches small-scale commercial production, the immediate change will be in supply chains: a single production run could serve multiple hospitals across a wider region, reducing the scramble for last-minute doses. The same tracer could also be adapted for other cancers that carry the same surface protein. For the patient, this means a scan that is easier to schedule and less likely to be cancelled. For the health system, it means a more reliable diagnostic tool without building new radiochemistry labs at every hospital.
View original technical description
Our project aims to advance a promising new diagnostic tool for neuroendocrine tumours (NETs) called \[18F\]FET-ßAG-TOCA (FETO). NETs, which affect thousands of patients across Europe daily, present significant diagnostic challenges due to limitations in current methods. Traditional tracers, such as 68Ga-DOTATATE (NETSPOT), have a short half-life and suffer from supply constraints that often leave patients without timely access. In contrast, FETO leverages the longer half-life (approximately 110 minutes) of the F-18 radionuclide, enabling more flexible imaging schedules and broader geographic distribution. FETO is a novel somatostatin receptor (SSTR)-PET tracer designed to enhance the detection and monitoring of NETs. Early clinical trials (Phase I and II) have demonstrated that FETO is safe and performs comparably to existing gold-standard tracers under good manufacturing practice (GMP) conditions. With these encouraging results, our immediate goal is to elevate FETO from Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 7 to TRL 8 by validating its performance in a small-scale commercial production setting. Over the next 18 months, we will work with a leading imaging research centre to validate our production process in their GMP facility. This collaboration will not only ensure that FETO can be manufactured consistently and at high quality but also enable early distribution through an established network. The data collected during this phase will support a planned Phase III clinical trial and help streamline subsequent regulatory approvals with bodies such as the MHRA, FDA, and EMA. Beyond its immediate clinical application, FETO has significant potential to transform the diagnostic landscape for NETs and other SSTR-expressing cancers. By offering a more reliable, cost-effective, and widely available imaging solution, FETO could pave the way for earlier detection and more effective treatment planning, ultimately improving patient outcomes. Our multidisciplinary team, with expertise in radiopharmaceutical development and clinical diagnostics, is committed to advancing nuclear medicine through innovation. We are excited about FETO's potential not only to address current diagnostic challenges but also to lay the groundwork for broader market impact and future global expansion. This project represents a significant step forward in making high-quality NET diagnostics accessible to patients in the UK and worldwide.
Plain English summaries and category classifications on this site are generated by AI and may not perfectly reflect the original research.
Is something wrong? Let us know