MIRACLE · Mechanically Interlocked Radiotracers Chelators for Efficient Cancer Therapy

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Project objective

Cancer is a leading global cause of death, with cases projected to rise sharply over the next decades. Radionuclide therapy (RNT) offers a highly selective alternative to conventional radiation treatments, using radiometal chelates for targeted tumour eradication. Despite clinical successes, current radiotracers face limitations including off-target toxicity, suboptimal pharmacokinetics, and insufficient stability. Mechanically Interlocked RAdiotracers CheLators (MIRACLEs) address these challenges by developing mechanically interlocked molecules (MIMs), such as rotaxanes and catenanes, as next-generation radiotracers. These structures enable modular synthesis, tunable dynamics, and stimulus-responsiveness, allowing “smart” tracers with enhanced protein targeting, biodistribution control and metabolic stability. By integrating DOTA/DO3A scaffolds within mechanically interlocked architectures, mechanical bonds decouple thermodynamic affinity from kinetic inertness, providing steric shielding and addressing a key failure mode of conventional radiochelates. This project will generate mechanically interlocked radiotracers (MIRTs) with improved in vivo stability, precise tissue-specific dosimetry, and efficient clearance. By combining supramolecular chemistry with radiopharmaceutical design, MIRACLE aims to deliver radiotheranostic agents with superior selectivity, safety and translational potential for clinical oncology.

Original text from CORDIS.

Participants

• UNIVERSITY OF WARWICK · COVENTRYCoordinatorUnited Kingdom
• UNIVERSITAT ZURICH · ZurichSwitzerland

Links

• View on CORDIS
• DOI: 10.3030/101282487