Report of a Technical Meeting on ''Alpha emitting radionuclides and radiopharmaceuticals for therapy''

Considering the high potential of α-emitters for future development of radionuclide therapy, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) organized a Technical Meeting on 'Alpha Emitting Radionuclides and Radiopharmaceuticals for Therapy', from June 24 to 28, 2013, at IAEA Headquarters in Vienna with the purpose of gathering eminent Experts in the field and discuss with them the status and future perspectives of the field. Sixteen Experts and two External Observers from ten different countries, and four IAEA Technical Officers attended this meeting. Outstanding lectures have been presented covering all relevant aspects of α-therapy, which were followed by extensive discussions and analysis. Selected arguments encompassed production methods and availability of alpha-emitting radionuclides, labelling chemistry of alpha-emittting radioelements, design and development of target-specific radiopharmaceuticals, physical principles of alpha-particle dosimetry and advanced dosimetric models, biological effects of alpha radiation at the cellular level, on-going preclinical and clinical studies with new radiopharmaceuticals, results of clinical trials on the use of radium-223 chloride solutions for the treatment of metastatic bone cancer. The broad scientific background of invited components of the Experts' panel conferred a strong interdisciplinary trait to the overall discussion and stimulated a critical analysis of this emerging unexplored field. Results of this comprehensive overview on alpha therapy, including recommendations to the Agency on suitable initiatives that may help to promote and spread the knowledge to Members States on this emerging therapeutic modality, are summarized in the present Report