PQ-VE1-vancomycin

PQ-VE1-vancomycin (often evaluated as the radiolabeled [18F]PQ-VE1-vancomycin) is a bacteria-targeted positron emission tomography (PET) imaging tracer developed for the non-invasive detection of Gram-positive bacterial infections. It is synthesized via a photoclick reaction between a vancomycin-coupled phenanthrene quinone (PQ) precursor and a fluorinated vinyl ether (VE1) linker. By utilizing the tricyclic glycopeptide antibiotic vancomycin as a targeting moiety, the tracer selectively binds to the peptidoglycan precursors (specifically D-alanyl-D-alanine) present in the cell walls of Gram-positive bacteria, such as Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis. This mechanism allows the tracer to differentiate active bacterial infections from sterile inflammation, addressing a key limitation of conventional imaging agents like [18F]FDG. The tracer has been evaluated in preclinical in vitro and in vivo models, demonstrating favorable biodistribution and renal/hepatobiliary clearance.

Other names

9,10-phenanthrenequinone-vancomycin and [18F]fluorinated vinyl ether photocycloadduct