BC Cancer's Dr. Florian Kuchenbauer and Dr. François Bénard, in collaboration with TRIUMF Innovations and led by Dr. Robert Britton from Simon Fraser University, have secured a grant from the Centre for Probe Development and Commercialization (CPDC) to conduct ground-breaking research in cancer imaging.
This project will develop a novel positron emission tomography (PET) tracer that targets the L-type amino acid transporter 1 (LAT1) protein. The focus of this research is on LAT1, an amino acid transporter found to be overexpressed in various cancers. If successful, this PET tracer could serve as an alternative to the current gold standard for detecting abnormal cell growth in suspected cancer patients. The project is expected to last several months, and there are plans to introduce this novel tracer to the Canadian healthcare market for clinical use through the CPDC's CARI program, which supports the commercial translation of radiopharmaceutical research from academic institutions or early-stage enterprises.
About CPDC: CPDC began in 2008 as a "not-for-profit" corporation dedicated to discovering, developing, and producing radiopharmaceuticals. Over the past 15 years, CPDC has created four Canadian companies that are advancing the availability of radiopharmaceuticals to Canadians. By developing high quality drugs for diagnosis and treatment, CPDC strives to be a global leader in the radiopharmaceutical industry. CPDC’s self-funding business model will continue to identify and advance critical radiopharmaceuticals to benefit Canadians.
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