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Radiopharmaceuticals









Pioneer targeted cancer treatments with Radiopharmaceuticals

Radiopharmaceuticals represent a powerful and precise approach to cancer therapy, combining targeted biological delivery with radioisotopes.

In medical imaging, radiopharmaceuticals act as radioactive tracers, helping to diagnose disease more accurately. In therapy, they are designed to bind to cancer-specific markers, and deliver powerful targeted radiation, exactly where it needs to be.

We combine world-class radiochemistry capabilities and advanced imaging technologies to support the development, characterisation and clinical readiness of novel radiopharmaceutical agents.



























Radiopharmaceuticals across drug discovery

What are Diagnostic Radiopharmaceuticals?

Radiopharmaceuticals can be used to diagnose disease as well as to treat them. A radiopharmaceutical molecule has two key components: the radionuclide that emits radiation and the molecule that takes the radionuclide to the cancer tissue.

Radiopharmaceuticals can be used for diagnosis with PET and SPECT scanning allowing visualisation of body structures or metabolic activity, or they can be used as therapeutics delivering the radiation to the tissue and destroying the cancer tissue.

What is Radiopharmaceutical Therapy?

Radiopharmaceutical therapies (RPTs) are precision treatments that use radioisotopes to effectively target, diagnose and treat cancers. These therapies pair radioisotopes with tumour-targeting small molecules, peptides or antibodies, delivering a cytotoxic payload directly to cancer cells, while sparing healthy tissue.

Therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals hold such promise for how we treat diseases like cancer, because traditional chemotherapy and radiotherapy can affect both healthy and disease tissue, which can result in side effects. Radiopharmaceuticals are much more targeted, which means treatments are more effective and less toxic.

What are Theragnostic Radiopharmaceuticals?

A further approach will combine diagnostic and therapy in one platform. Doctors can use a diagnostic to see and check if the drug binds to the tumour and then use the therapeutic version for treatment. This will help predict patient success and ultimately patient outcome.




How are Radiopharmaceutical Therapies used in cancer?

Radiopharmaceutical therapies are injected into the bloodstream, binding to specific molecules on the surface of the cancer cell. Once bound they can deliver cell-killing doses of radiation that destroys the cancer cell from within.

Significant advances have been made in new treatments for cancer, including Stem Cell Therapies, Immunotherapy, DNA Sequencing, Personalised Vaccines, and now Radiopharmaceutical Therapy (RPT).

We are pioneering the development, evaluation, and translation of radiopharmaceutical therapies to effectively diagnose and treat cancers.

As a national Life Sciences service, our exceptional people combine their scientific, regulatory and operational expertise with the very best technology to deploy novel radiopharmaceutical therapies.





Our Radiopharmaceutical services

We can help support a seamless transition of your radiopharmaceutical into the clinic as we have a unique blend of scientific expertise and operational expertise in novel radiopharmaceutical agents.

We support the seamless development of radiopharmaceuticals from pre-clinical data through to clinical readiness.

Our team work with industry and academic partners to:

  • Design and consult on preclinical studies.
  • Deliver preclinical dosimetry and advanced image analysis.
  • Run proof-of-concept studies for biodistribution, efficacy and toxicology.
  • Support radiolabelling for alpha, beta and gamma emitters.
  • Conduct in vitro/ex vivo cell and tissue-based assays.
  • Explore mechanism of action via primary pharmacology.
  • Develop theranostic imaging models using in vivo.






Key Radiopharmaceutical capabilities

With state-of-the-art facilities and authorisation to handle a wide range of isotopes, we offer unique, integrated services to de-risk radiopharmaceutical development:

  • Expertise with isotopes including 177Lu, 225Ac, 89Zr, 111In, 212-Pb, 203-Pb, 18F.
  • Targeted radionuclide therapy in subcutaneous and orthotopic PDX models.
  • Targeted radionuclide therapy in metastatic models.
  • On-site custom radiolabelling of small molecules, peptides, proteins and antibodies.









See how we have helped innovators


CPSA is an ingenious extension of the target engagement toolbox. It is easier to upscale and control in high throughput screening applications than currently available methods. With exemplary support from MDC we have smoothly incorporated it into our Drug Discovery pipeline.

Selvita

MDC’s R&D consulting has been transformative, refining our HT8457S strategy with scientific rigour, identifying and mitigating risks, and strengthening our business model, significantly enhancing Haiku’s credibility.

Haiku Therapeutics

The partnership with MDC has allowed us to secure multiple Innovate UK grants and utilise capabilities such as state-of-the-art PET, which aren’t available elsewhere.

Alchemab Therapeutics

For the first time, we have been able to generate a map of lung fibrosis in 3D at the tissue scale. Collaborating with MDC has been key to its success. Their expertise has supported the successful integration of state-of-the-art technologies, establishing a valuable new resource for the lung fibrosis community.

University of Southampton

Working with MDC allowed us to visualise drug distribution in the brain with a level of clarity we hadn’t achieved before. Their expertise in DESI-MS and willingness to design a project that met our demands provided powerful insights into diffusion patterns, giving us confidence in our compound’s delivery.

TargTex

We worked with the Mass Spectrometry team at MDC to help set up and run a complex biochemical assay. The project was technically demanding, but the deep expertise, knowledge and collaborative approach allowed the team to troubleshoot the many challenges and successfully deliver a viable approach.

Oppilotech

The team at MDC shares our passion for bringing forward innovative medicines, pioneering new technologies, and operating with data-driven flexibility. They have been integral to our project success and possess unique capabilities to support later-stage candidate selection. A truly valued collaborator and dependable partner.

Artbio

Elasmogen was impressed by the quality and rapid delivery timelines for our radiopharmaceutical dosimetry data. There was good interactivity in this project, and we are happy to recommend this service.

Elasmogen

Our collaboration with Medicines Discovery Catapult will not only enable us to engage with the wider scientific community but will also allow us to unlock the potential of Acoustic Mass Spectrometry within drug discovery.

Innovative Medicines and Early Development (IMED) Biotech Unit, AstraZeneca

It’s been absolutely amazing working with MDC and the team.

LUNAC Therapeutics

MDC supported us in developing a therapeutic for Huntington’s Disease through antibody characterisation, iPSC model development, biodistribution studies, imaging and neurodegenerative expertise.

Alchemab Therapeutics

We worked together with MDC on a very challenging and demanding project. The MDC team’s expertise in MSI, commitment and flexibility were key to a successful collaboration and reaching our objectives.

TargTex

MDC are as involved in our project as the founding team, going above and beyond what I expected. I recommend them to new ventures starting out; even if you don’t know exactly what you need, the team can work with you to achieve some phenomenal results.

KLAS Therapeutics

Working with MDC has provided expertise and intellectual input. It has also enabled access to a wider network of companies providing specialist services.

N4 Pharma

By tapping into MDC’s unique drug development expertise and facilities, we are confident we will accelerate the preclinical development of our drug delivery system and its commercialisation.

Sixfold Bioscience

It has been a pleasure working with MDC as their scientists are pleasant and have a broad range of talents.
Importantly for projects like ours, they openly and professionally exchange ideas with SMi’s scientific team and keep us abreast of their research developments.

SMi Systems

It has been great to access the Artificial Intelligence expertise at Medicines Discovery Catapult.
The team has taken an innovative approach that adds value to our product and will benefit our customers.

BioAscent

As an SME, working with MDC allows us access to scientific know-how and in vivo imaging techniques that would be impossible through any other route. The closeness, timeliness and flexibility of the collaboration significantly accelerated our ability to develop the product.

Xerion Healthcare

We have collaborated with MDC for three years, and it continues to provide valuable and high-quality data on our molecules. MDC’s input has directly impacted operational and strategic decisions for our projects and allowed us to move forward with our clinical studies.

Revolo Biotherapeutics

For early-stage SMEs in this space, I thoroughly recommend engaging with MDC, who have the end-to-end knowledge in complex medicines, can support your in-house team and provide access to key equipment that start-ups may not have.

pHion Therapeutics








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