HERAPTAMER1

HERAPTAMER1 is a DNA aptamer specifically developed for high-affinity binding to the extracellular domain of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), a membrane protein frequently overexpressed in certain cancers, including ovarian and breast cancers. HERAPTAMER1 was identified via a combinatorial SELEX (systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment) process using in vitro and in vivo screening with the HER2 protein and HER2-positive tumor models. Its primary application is as a molecular imaging probe: it can be radiolabeled (for example, with 18F) and used in PET imaging to accurately visualize and quantify HER2 expression in tumors. In preclinical models, HERAPTAMER1 demonstrated rapid and specific tumor uptake, with high tumor-to-background ratios, and showed no cytotoxicity towards HER2-positive cancer cells, indicating its utility specifically for non-invasive imaging rather than for direct therapeutic effect[5][7].