First Academic Medical Center in the Nation to Manufacture Newly Approved Prostate Cancer Imaging Drug

Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah will soon become the first academic medical center in the nation to manufacture a new prostate cancer imaging drug, expanding access to precision diagnostic technology for cancer patients in the Mountain West.

The new drug, called flotufolastat F 18 (POSLUMA) and developed by Blue Earth Diagnostics, builds on Huntsman Cancer Institute’s national leadership in molecular imaging and theranostics—a sophisticated field that uses highly targeted radiopharmaceuticals to diagnose and treat cancer. Advances in molecular imaging—including radiopharmaceutical agents—are becoming increasingly important tools to improve early detection, guide treatment decisions, and reduce unnecessary procedures for men with prostate cancer.

The drug is used in diagnostic imaging for men with prostate cancer. Prostate cancer remains one of the most significant health concerns for men in the United States: It is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among American men aside from skin cancers. The American Cancer Society estimates that approximately 300,000 men are diagnosed each year. 

Determining the extent of primary prostate cancer and whether it may have spread is important and requires sensitive imaging to provide precise diagnostic information on the patient’s condition.

The drug binds to cells that express a specific marker called prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) found in many prostate cancer tumors, enabling more accurate detection and staging. This is the third PSMA drug that has been manufactured at Huntsman Cancer Institute and has the advantage of being a radiohybrid drug that can also attach a more powerful radioisotope to treat cancer.

The new drug is manufactured through Huntsman Cancer Institute’s Center for Quantitative Cancer Imaging and Theranostics (CQCIT). This facility offers cutting-edge technologies and expertise in radiopharmaceuticals, preclinical and clinical imaging, theranostics, and other resources to support cancer research.

“This milestone highlights our research and development in cancer imaging and theranostics, which enables our patients in the Mountain West to have access to the most innovative diagnostic and therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals,” says Jeffrey Yap, PhD, director of the CQCIT at Huntsman Cancer Institute and professor of radiology and imaging sciences at the University of Utah. “We are honored to help advance this work. It is one of many examples of how our commitment to research directly translates into new clinical procedures for the people we serve in the community.”