WE PROPOSE TO DEVELOP AN AUTOMATED CHEMISTRY SYSTEM TO WORK FROM THE TARGET OF THE CTI MEDICAL CYCLOTRON.

WE PROPOSE TO DEVELOP AN AUTOMATED CHEMISTRY SYSTEM TO WORK FROM THE TARGET OF THE CTI MEDICAL CYCLOTRON. THE SYNTHESIS WILL BE 16-BETAMETHOXY-17-ALPHA-IODOVINYLESTRADIOL. THE MATERIAL HAS PROVEN TO BE ONE OF THE MOST ACTIVE STEROID RECEPTOR SITE AGENTS TO DATE AND SHOULD PROVE VALUABLE FOR THE DIFFERENTIATION OF STEROID-TREATABLE BREAST TUMORS FROM NONSTEROID-TREATABLE BREAST TUMORS. THE FUNDAMENTAL CHEMISTRY FOR THE AUTOMATED SYNTHESIS OF THE RADIOIODINATED 16-BETA-METHOXY-17-ALPHA-IODOVINYLESTRADIOL HAS BEEN WORKED OUT IN KABALKA'S LABORATORY AND IN THE LABORATORIES OF OTHER INVESTIGATORS. WE CURRENTLY ENVISION AN AUTOMATED SYSTEM IN WHICH THE INTERMEDIATE ORGANOBORANE IS LOADED ONTO A SHORT CHROMATOGRAPHY COLUMN SUCH AS THOSE SOLD BY WATERS AND ASSOCIATES. THESE COLUMNS CONTAIN AN ACTIVE SURFACE AGENT SUCH AS SILICA GEL (WHICH MIGHT BE IDEAL FOR THE SEPARATION OF OUR STEROID) AND ARE RATHER INEXPENSIVE (NORMALLY, A FEW DOLLARS). THE COLUMNS WOULD BE MODIFIED SO THAT THEY ATTACHED TO THE CTI CYCLOTRON IN A SIMPLE, STRAIGHTFORWARD FASHION. THE CHEMISTRY UNITS WILL BE DISPOSABLE.