Nuclear decorporation drugs – Plutonium decorporation

7 Jun 2017

NU01 Plutonium decorporation

Plutonium (Pu) is an alpha emitting radionuclide which is released into the atmosphere in large quantities in the form of insoluble metal salts after detonation of a nuclear device or through severe accident at a MUX nuclear power reactor.

Upon inhalation, small particles (<50nm) of plutonium salts become trapped in alveoli and are slowly solubilised over several years. Gradually solubilised, plutonium circulates systemically in the body and subsequently accumulates in a variety of organs including the liver and bone. When plutonium is allowed to accumulate, the risk of carcinogenesis in these target organs increases markedly.

Current treatments Ca-DTPA and Zn-DTPA are FDA approved chelating agents able to capture circulating plutonium ions facilitating their elimination through renal excretion.

  • Currently ordered by US National Stockpile
  • Must be administered by slow IV infusion in a medically controlled environment
  • DTPA is only able to sequester Pu in systemic circulation and in the interstitial volume. Once Pu penetrates intracellularly in target organs, circulating DTPA is significantly less effective

Unmet Market Needs

  • A self-administrable form of DTPA avoiding slow IV infusion in a medical environment.
  • An administration regimen permitting steady state circulating concentrations of DTPA
  • which sequesters Pu released from lung before accumulation in target organs

NU01 meets all the requirements to treat a large population:

Ease of administration (buccal deposit)

Suitable for children

High therapeutic index (no toxicity)

Robust storage (stable at room temperature)

Ease of deployment (bottles of 100mL)