Partnership to Develop Injectable Tracer for Diagnosing, Tumor Surgery

Five French partners are developing an injectable tracer that can provide both nuclear imaging in the preoperative evaluation of tumors and optical imaging during ablation or biopsy.

CEA-Leti (Grenoble, France) and three other French partners reported that the three-year Nano-ENO project is developing a specific tracer using a patented organic nanocarrier (Lipidot). To improve its targeting capacities, a peptide molecule that recognizes specific types of cancer will also be grafted to the Lipidots. CEA-Leti conducts research and develops nanoelectronics and technology for healthcare. The Nano-Eno project includes Advanced Accelerator Applications (Saint-Genis-Pouilly, France), Fluoptics (Grenoble, France), and VetAgro Sup (Marcy-l'Etoile, France), as well as Frédéric Joliot Hospital (Orsay, France).

When treating cancer, clinicians utilize several diagnostic tools and surgical aids, including positron emission tomography (PET) scan and fluorescence imaging. A PET scan is a nuclear imaging technology that allows radiologists to measure the metabolic activity of an organ by injecting a radiotracer and then examining the gamma rays that are emitted as the tracer disintegrates.

Fluorescence imaging is a comparatively new technology that combines the use of a florescent tracer with near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). The resulting real-time images help surgeons obtain cleaner margins during surgery and therefore reduce the risk of recurrence.

The nuclear imaging markers used in a PET scan help provide high-resolution images, while optical contrast agents facilitate the identification of tumor cells in real-time. Combining these imaging technologies makes it possible to confirm that the tumors being operated on correspond to the tumors identified in the preoperative studies. It also allows for a more thorough procedure to be performed with reduced overall surgical time; not only can the surgeon perform more rapidly and with greater precision, but the entire operation is streamlined, allowing for a more efficient use of operating rooms and surgical staff.

This project will receive support from the Cancéropôle Lyon Auvergne Rhône Alpes (CLARA; France) Preuve de Concept (Proof of Concept) initiative for three years.

CEA is a French government-funded technologic research organization. A prominent player in the European research area, it is involved in setting up collaborative projects with many partners worldwide. The CEA is based in 10 research centers in France, each specializing in specific fields. The laboratories are located in the Paris region, the Rhône-Alpes, the Rhône valley, the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, Aquitaine, Central France, and Burgundy.

Related Links:
CEA-Leti