Voyageur Pharmaceuticals Ltd. announced that in an innovative endeavor, Voyageur and Rain Cage Carbon Inc. ("Rain Cage") are following up on the first commercial creation of a V@C60 endohedral fullerene (Vanadium atom inside a C60 molecule). Rain Cage is now embarking on the next phase of radiology drug development, by utilizing their cutting-edge technology. Rain Cage will begin testing to create on a commercial scale, the encapsulation of gadolinium, bismuth, and iodine within endohedral fullerenes. The pioneering work, set to begin later this month, with the objective to develop a process to create Gd@C60, Bi@C60, and I@C60 endohedral fullerenes, targeting the development of highly advanced radiology contrast agents for Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and CT scans. These novel compounds, known for their rarity and complex synthesis, hold the promise of transforming medical
imaging by significantly enhancing the precision and clarity of radiological scans. Endohedral fullerenes are a class of fullerenes that enclose an additional atom, ion, or cluster within their inner sphere, exhibiting superior physical and electronic characteristics compared to regular fullerenes. In the context of radiology drugs, endohedral metallofullerenes offer a distinct advantage through exceptional stability and bioavailability, an amplified signal that leads to better image clarity and resolution, targeted delivery and reduced toxicity. These properties have garnered interest in applications such as MRI contrast agents. One notable example is gadolinium endohedral fullerene, featuring gadolinium enclosed in a carbon cage, which displays high proton relaxivity and low toxicity, showing great promise for MRI contrast agents. Endohedral fullerenes show potential in radiology contrast applications such as X-ray and CT scans, including acting as MRI contrast agents for superior imaging resolution, aiding in radiopharmaceutical stability and bioavailability, and serving as platforms for targeted drug delivery through functionalization with specific targeting molecules. Endohedral fullerenes are incredibly rare for commercial applications due to the complex and precise conditions required for their synthesis, making them one of the most valuable materials in nanotechnology. Rain Cage Carbon has developed a method to create these high value molecules at scale, an industry first.