99mTc-cAbVCAM1-5

99mTc-cAbVCAM1-5 is a radiopharmaceutical imaging agent developed for the non-invasive detection of vulnerable (unstable) atherosclerotic plaques. It is composed of a single-domain antibody fragment (nanobody), specifically the cAbVCAM1-5 clone, radiolabeled with Technetium-99m (99mTc). The nanobody has a high affinity and specificity for Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule 1 (VCAM-1), a protein that is significantly upregulated on the surface of inflamed endothelial cells and within atherosclerotic lesions associated with a high risk of rupture, but which is nearly absent in healthy vasculature. Due to its small size (~15 kDa), the tracer exhibits rapid blood clearance and deep tissue penetration, facilitating high-contrast Single-Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) imaging shortly after administration. Developed by the Laboratory Radiopharmaceutiques Biocliniques (LRB), this agent has transitioned from preclinical validation to Phase I/IIa clinical evaluation in the ATHENA study.

Other names

99mTc-labeled anti-VCAM-1 nanobodyTc-99m cAbVCAM1-5Tc99m cAbVCAM1-5Tc 99m cAbVCAM1-5