An HPLC and UHPLC-HRMS approach to study PSMA-11 instability in aqueous solution

BACKGROUND: The stability of precursors and reagents is of utmost importance for developing a robust radiolabelling method that provides high and constant radiochemical yield and radiochemical purity. While performing the QC of the [(68)Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 injectable solutions according to Ph. Eur. Monograph that has recently been published, a trend to the instability of the standard PSMA-11, the same used as a precursor for [(68)Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 radiosynthesis, has been observed. This instability led to the formation of a side product in a time-dependent manner. The formation of this compound, besides making the implementation of the Ph. Eur. analytical method more difficult, negatively influenced the radiochemical yield and the radiochemical purity by increasing gallium-68 in colloidal and ionic forms. RESULTS: The nature of the side product was investigated by adding chelators, such as EDTA, to PSMA-11 solutions and using the combination of UHPLC-HRMS. The results led to the definition of the side product structure, as (nat)Fe-PSMA-11, from the combination of the high-affinity chelator HBED-CC, present in the molecule of PSMA-11, and environmental Fe (III). CONCLUSIONS: Strategies to reduce the risk of low radiolabeling yields and to increase the stability of the PSMA-11 in an aqueous solution were also discussed.