Automated radiosynthesis of [18F]FMPEP-d2 for cannabinoid receptor PET imaging

The cannabinoid subtype 1 receptor (CB1R) is highly expressed in the central nervous system and abnormalities in regional CB1R density are associated with neurodegenerative disorders. The PET tracer [18F]FMPEP-d2 is an inverse CB1R agonist which was shown to be suitable for non-invasive PET imaging. In this work, we reported the fully automated radiosynthesis of [18F]FMPEP-d2 on a Synthra RNplus research module. In a total synthesis time of 70 min, [18F]FMPEP-d2 was obtained in 2.2 & PLUSMN; 0.1 GBq (n = 3) with excellent radiochemical and chemical purity. Quality control test showed that [18F]FMPEP-d2 product meets all the release criteria for clinical patient use.