PET3D – PET Imaging in Drug Design and Development – H2020

Abstract

PET3D is a new ?4million training scheme that will tackle a European shortage of scientists proficient in the use of special imaging techniques that could speed up and reduce the cost of life-saving drug development. The 4-year Marie Sklodowska Curie Actions Network project, funded by the European Commission will provide a unique training opportunity that will transfer key multidisciplinary and industry-relevant skills to 15 ESRs for using Positron Emission Tomography (PET) imaging as a key tool in drug design and development. PET imaging is most commonly used as a diagnostic technique ? radioactive ?tracer? molecules are injected into patients and PET is used to observe the functioning of the body and identify signs of abnormalities, such as tumours, Alzheimer?s disease and heart conditions. PET imaging can also be used to assess the effectiveness of a drug before it goes into Phase 3 of clinical development, which would enable an early halt in the development of an ineffective drug, before large amounts of money are spent on further testing. PET imaging can therefore play a pivotal role in drug design/development by providing at a much earlier stage, reliable answers to key questions:What and where is the disease?Is the disease accurately targeted by the therapy?However, there is a world shortage of scientists with the necessary expertise to become research leaders in this area and answer these questions. All the major pharmaceutical companies use PET to support the development of drugs but the shortage means it is very difficult for companies and universities to recruit.The PET3D consortium is addressing this shortage and will provide top-quality training to the next generation of translational PET imaging scientists. The 15 cutting-edge research projects will span all of the main therapeutic areas in which PET imaging plays a key role, namely oncology, cardiovascular and neuroscience, and will make use of the whole portfolio of molecular formats available in modern PET imaging, such as small molecules, peptides, nanoparticles and antibody formats using different PET radioisotopes.