European consortium launches project to advance alpha-emitting radiotherapies
Ella Day | April 7, 2025 | News story | Research and Development | Akiram Therapeutics, European Consortium, Oncology, PreTT, TetraKit Technologies, radiotherapy
A new European research initiative PRE-CISE has been launched with the aim of developing next-generation targeted alpha-therapies for cancer treatment. The project brings together Sweden’s Akiram Therapeutics, Danish biotech company PreTT, and radiochemistry specialists TetraKit Technologies.
The collaboration is co-funded by the Eurostars programme with a total grant of €1m. Preclinical results are anticipated in 2026.
The collaboration seeks to refine radioligand therapy by applying a two-step pretargeting method. In this approach, an antibody is first administered to bind to tumour cells, followed by a separately delivered radioactive payload. This separation allows for the use of alpha-emitting radionuclides – known for their high potency and short-range cell-killing effects – which are typically incompatible with traditional antibody-based therapies.
Central to the initiative is Akiram’s CD44v6-targeting antibody platform, previously employed in its lead candidate Lu-AKIR001, a beta-emitting radiopharmaceutical currently in clinical trials. By integrating PreTT’s pretargeting technology and TetraKit’s radiolabeling capabilities, the PRE-CISE project aims to enhance treatment precision and potentially reduce off-target toxicity.
This collaborative programme reflects growing interest in alpha therapy’s therapeutic potential, particularly for hard-to-treat cancers. The development may also contribute to the broader pipeline of radiopharmaceuticals as researchers continue to explore targeted approaches that could improve efficacy and safety profiles across oncology treatment landscapes.
Marika Nestor, chief executive officer (CEO) of Akiram Therapeutics, said: “By separating the targeting step from the therapeutic phase, we open up new possibilities for designing more precise and effective cancer treatments.”
Francesco Sergi-Lindell, CEO of PreTT, commented in agreement: “This advancement allows us to broaden the scope of potential treatments for various types of cancer.”
Ella Day
7/4/25
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