Request for Information (RFI) on Sharing Precursors for Positron Emission Tomography (PET) and Single-Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) Imaging Agents

Notice Number: NOT-CA-14-014

Update: The following update relating to this announcement has been issued:

  • January 27, 2014 - See Notice NOT-CA-14-030. Notice of Extension of the Response Date.

Key Dates
Release Date: January 16, 2014
Response End Date: January 20, 2014 (Extended to February 28, 2014 per NOT-CA-14-030)

Related Announcements
None

Issued by
National Cancer Institute (NCI)

Purpose

The purpose of this Request for Information (RFI) is to obtain opinions of members of the medical imaging community regarding the sharing of precursors for Positron Emission Tomography (PET) and Single-Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) imaging agents.

This RFI is for information and planning purposes only and should not be construed as a solicitation or as an obligation on the part of the Federal Government, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and/or the National Cancer Institute (NCI).

Information Requested

The Cancer Imaging Program is seeking feedbackand information regarding the scope of interest in processes and/or resources for sharing precursors for PET and SPECT. Comments on optimal approaches (including handling of intellectual properties issues and possible additional relevant resources, procedures, etc.) are welcomed.

Collaborative efforts may facilitate the development and validation of novel precursors for PET and SPECT. These collaborations may involve direct sharing of new experimental probes with collaborating investigators, assistance in establishing the synthesis of such compounds in collaborators laboratories, and other approaches. Laboratories willing to share precursors may benefit by accelerated studies of their utility as tracers. Consequently, sharing agents may facilitate their efficient and cost-effective development as cancer imaging molecular probes.

Specifically, this RFI targets medical imaging researchers, clinicians, and other interested members of the community for their perspectives on any applicable/relevant aspects listed below.

The responses are voluntary and anyone willing to respond has a full discretion to address aspects deemed relevant to the theme of the RFI even if such aspects are not expressly mentioned below.

For precursors being developed in your laboratory, aspects that you may consider addressing include (but are not limited to) the following areas:

  • Availability for sharing of any experimental precursors, procedures/technical expertise for making such compounds, etc.
  • The level of external interests in resource that you share or are willing to share (if possible provide illustrative data such as the number of compounds shared, number of collaborating laboratories, number of requests for compounds received, etc.).
  • Cancer-specific applications already established for the probes/tracers/precursors that you might already share or might be willing to share.
  • Any issues related to commercialization of precursor compounds/reagents that may be useful as tracers for PET or SPECT(a discussion of issues reflecting any efforts to commercialize your own compounds is welcomed).

For precursors being developed in potential collaborators laboratories, aspects that you may consider addressing include (but are not limited to) the following areas:

Examples of published precursors that should be explored further and you might be interested in such studies if they are available (citing relevant publications for the published precursors of interest would be helpful).

Comments on other aspects relevant to sharing of precursors for PET and SPECT, including management of intellectual property are also welcomed.

Note: Do not include any proprietary or confidential information.

Responses
Responses will be accepted through 1/20/14. Please email your responses to Anne Menkens, Ph.D. (am187k@nih.gov).

How to Submit a Response

Responses will be accepted through January 20, 2014. Please mark responses with the RFI identifier NOT-CA-14-014. Responses in electronic formats are preferred and can be e-mailed to am187k@nih.gov.

All individual responses will remain confidential. Any identifiers (e.g., names, institutions, e-mail addresses, etc.) will be removed when responses are compiled. Only the processed, anonymized results will be shared internally with NIH staff members and members of scientific working groups convened by the NCI, as appropriate.

Inquiries

Please direct all inquiries to:

Anne E. Menkens, Ph.D.
Cancer Imaging Program
Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
National Institutes of Health
Telephone: 240-276-6510
Email: am187k@nih.gov