iThrombus
Research type
Research Study
Full title
In vivo thrombus imaging with 18F-GP1: A novel platelet directed PET radiotracer
IRAS ID
244932
Contact name
David Newby
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Edinburgh
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
RG/16/10/32375 , BHF programme grant
Duration of Study in the UK
3 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
We aim to examine whether 18F-GP1 (radiotracer that binds to blood clots) can be used to detect activated platelets (key component of blood clots) which are involved in blood clot formation and implicated in a range of conditions; Heart attacks, stent thrombosis (blockages of stents used to treat people with angina and heart attacks), heart valve thrombosis (blood clots on recently replaced heart valves), deep vein thromboses (clots in leg veins or DVT), pulmonary embolism (clots in the lung or PE) and stroke/transient ischaemic attack (TIA) (clots affecting the brain). 18F-GP1 has undergone animal and early human clinical evaluation demonstrating that it binds to platelets in a stable & specific manner in live animals and humans. [Lohrke et al, 2017][Kim et al, 2018, in press]
In this recent study 18F-GP1 demonstrated a high detection rate of blood clots in 20 patients with recently formed deep vein thrombi (DVT) and pulmonary thromboemboli (clots on the lung). The tracer also performed favourably with regards to its metabolism, body distribution and radiation dose to humans. [Kim et al, 2018, in press]
If successful, through the identification of activated platelets, this study would be the first demonstration of an imaging technique able to identify blood clots from outside the body. This finding would undoubtedly enhance our understanding of the incidence, consequences and natural history of coronary, stent related, prosthetic valvular, pulmonary/deep venous and cerebral (brain) thrombosis. Other potential applications of 18F-GP1 to thrombotic disease (conditions caused by unwanted blood clots) are widespread and could include improvements in diagnoses and treatment of peripheral arterial disease (narrowing and clotting of blood vessels in arms and legs), intra-cardiac thrombosis (clots within the heart chambers) and endocarditis (infection of the heart valves).
REC name
South East Scotland REC 01
REC reference
18/SS/0143
Date of REC Opinion
12 Nov 2018
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion