A new PET scan tracer for tumors is tested in mice
Original title: First in vivo evaluation of the radiolabelled Hsp90 inhibitor [11C]Onalespib for cancer and brain PET imaging.
How far along is this research?
- Lab cells
- Animals
- Review
- Tested in people
This was done in animals, not people. Most findings at this stage never become treatments.
This was only done in lab dishes and in mice, not in people.
The short version
Scientists tested a new scan tracer in mice, and very little of it reached the brain.
What was studied. Researchers made a radioactive version of a drug called onalespib. They tested it on tumor cells, on tumor and brain tissue in the lab, and in mice with human tumors.
What they found. In the lab, the tracer stuck well to its target, a protein called Hsp90. It bound to brain tissue and to three kinds of tumor tissue. In live mice, most of the tracer built up in the belly area. One tumor type took up a moderate amount, and another took up very little. Almost none of it got into the brain. The body also broke the tracer down quickly.
What this means, and what it doesn't
What it could mean: A scan that shows Hsp90 could one day help doctors see tumors better. This tracer is not ready for that job yet. The team says it needs more work first.
What it doesn't mean: This does not mean there is a new scan or treatment for patients. The work was done in cells and in mice, not in people. It is early lab research and is far from everyday care. It is not a cure, and it is not a promise of one.
Source: PubMed, August 28, 2026 · Read the original
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