Trasis ¹⁸F-L-Dopa nucleophilic synthesis method on disposable cassettes

Trasis has extended its range of molecules to ¹⁸F-L-Dopa with a reliable nucleophilic method, making this compound easy and safe to produce. The synthesis method, which is automated and optimised by Trasis, has several advantages over the usual electrophilic method.

The use of the same ¹⁸O water targets than for most other usual F-18 compounds, eliminating the need for any F2 target which is expensive, tricky to run and has a limited production capacity. The use of ¹⁸O water targets combined with the higher yield allows batches well over 1 Ci. The production is typically 1250 mCi at end of synthesis, when starting from 5Ci of fluoride at end of bombardment.

The process is safe as it does not rely on toxic ingredients such as the stannylated precursor used in the electrophilic method. It also avoids handling dangerous radioactive gases. The specific activity is said to be thousands of times better than when starting from carrier added F2. The process is implemented on disposable cassettes, which simplifies the operations and the GMP compliance.

The nucleophilic synthesis of ¹⁸F-L-Dopa is implemented on AllinOne-36 (AIO-36), a compact and fully integrated synthesiser which also allows the preparation of several ¹⁸F-labelled compounds such as FLT, F-Tyrosine, F-m-Tyrosine, F-Choline and ⁶⁸Ga preparations.