Safety, tolerability and clinical implementation of ‘ready-to-use’ (68)gallium-DOTA0-Tyr3-octreotide ((68)Ga-DOTATOC) (SomaKIT TOC) for injection in patients diagnosed with gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumours (GEP-NETs)

BACKGROUND: (68)Ga-DOTA0-Tyr3-octreotide ((68)Ga-DOTATOC) positron emission tomography–CT (PET-CT) has superior diagnostic performance compared to the licensed tracer OctreoScan single photon emission CT–CT in patients with gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumours (GEP-NETs). A new preparation of (68)Ga-DOTATOC using a new ‘ready-to-use’ (68)Ga-DOTATOC formulation for injection has been developed ((68)Ga-DOTATOC (SomaKIT TOC)). OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to assess the safety and tolerability of (68)Ga-DOTATOC (SomaKIT TOC) and evaluate the feasibility and robustness of implementing it in a NET clinical imaging service. METHODS: A first-in-human phase I/II multicentre, open-label study of a single dose of (68)Ga-DOTATOC (SomaKIT TOC) 2 MBq/kg±10% (range 100–200 MBq) in patients with biopsy-proven grade 1–2 GEP-NETs. PET-CT was performed post injection. Patients were followed up for 28 days. We next implemented this new synthesis methodology in a clinical service assessed over 11 months. RESULTS: Twenty consenting patients were recruited; 14 males, 6 females; mean (SD) age 58 years (12); NET grade 1 (70%), grade 2 (30%); and 75% with stage IV disease. Twelve patients experienced at least one adverse event (AE) during the study with no grade 3–4 toxicities. Only four AEs were classified as possibly (headache (n=1; 4%), nausea (1; 4%)) or probably (dysgeusia (1; 4%), paraesthesia (1; 4%)) related to the study preparation. One hundred thirteen vials of (68)Ga-DOTATOC (SomaKIT TOC) were synthesised with the ‘kit’ over a period of 11 months for clinical utility. Only 2/113 vials (1.77%) were rejected. CONCLUSIONS: The new ready-to-use preparation of (68)Ga-DOTATOC (SomaKIT TOC) for injection was safe and well tolerated. This has led to the world’s first (EMA) licensed (68)Ga-DOTATOC (SomaKIT TOC) radiopharmaceutical for the utility of PET imaging in patients with NETs. This preparation can be robustly implemented into routine clinical practice.