Scientists have developed a layered nanoparticle platform that could help overcome one of the key challenges in Targeted Radionuclide Therapy (TRT): efficiently delivering therapeutic radioisotopes to cancer cells.

Short-lived radioactive isotopes, or radioisotopes, can be used to image tumours or deliver high levels of cellular damage to cancerous tissue. However, their effectiveness depends on transporting them specifically to tumour sites while limiting exposure to healthy tissue. The newly developed nanoparticle platform is designed to address this challenge by rapidly capturing radioisotopes and transporting them to targeted locations.

Researchers developed a specialised layered nanoparticle, known as a nanoplatelet, using a unique assembly process. The structure enables the nanoparticle to rapidly absorb radioisotopes and strongly bind them, helping retain the radioactive material during delivery.

The platform was designed to accommodate a wide range of radioisotopes, including isotopes that have potential applications in cancer treatment and imaging but have not yet been extensively investigated.

TRT is an emerging area of cancer research in which radioisotopes are attached to molecules capable of recognising and targeting cancer cells. Once delivered to the tumour, the radioisotope can either generate radiation for therapeutic purposes or provide signals for diagnostic imaging.

According to the researchers, the nanoplatelet platform could broaden the range of radioisotopes available for TRT applications. Its versatility could allow the same nanoparticle technology to be adapted for imaging, therapy or theranostics, an approach that combines diagnostic imaging and treatment.

The platform could potentially support the use of a single radioisotope for both purposes or enable matched pairs of radioisotopes to be used separately for imaging and therapy.

The research builds on earlier work demonstrating the ability of alkali-metal-substituted alpha-zirconium phosphate derivatives to rapidly capture trivalent cations from transition metals and lanthanide metals.

Researchers found that converting alpha-zirconium phosphate into an alkali-metal-substituted derivative significantly improved the kinetics of radioisotope uptake while maintaining strong binding and retention of TRT surrogate materials.

This combination of rapid uptake and strong retention could be important for developing nanoparticle-based radionuclide therapies capable of carrying radioactive payloads to specific targets.

The researchers said the findings could support the development of a new class of nanoparticle-based TRT drugs and expand the available options for radioisotopes in cancer imaging and treatment.

The research was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Isotope R&D and Production, including the Horizon-broadening Isotope Production Pipeline Opportunities programme, as well as the DOE Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR).