Consortium
Who, What & Why

THE CONSORTIUM

  • International non-profit organisation:
    EORTC (Coordinator)
  • Pharma Companies:
    Abbvie, Bayer (Lead), GSK (Co-lead), Merck Sharp & Dohme, Novo Nordisk, Pfizer, Sanofi
  • Imaging Vendors:
    Bruker, GE Healthcare
  • SMEs:
    Antaros, Bioxydyn, Truly
  • Universities:
    Chalmers, Dijon, Groningen, Leeds, Lund, Manchester, Nijmegen, Sheffield
Radar

About us

„TRISTAN” stands for TRanslational Imaging in Drug SafeTy AssessmeNt
We aim to leverage the potential of imaging techniques to improve drug safety analysis and translatability of findings from animals to humans by technically, biologically and clinically validating imaging procedures as biomarkers.
The scope will be specifically addressed in 3 key areas identified as most urgent:

 

 

  1. Liver-bile transporter assessment (MRP2 & BSEP) by MRI & potentially PET
  2. Drug Induced Lung Toxicity Assessment by CT, 1H/129Xe-MRI, PET
  3. Bio-distribution of biologics by PET and MALDI-MSI

Standardization and validation of image acquisition, evaluation and reporting is regarded as key prerequisite for a reliable imaging biomarker and will thus be integral part of all 3 research areas.

 

Liver

  1. Detailed kinetic profiling of liver transporters responsible for gadoxetate excretion
  2. Ensure translatability of gadoxetate DCE-MRI between imaging platforms (across vendors & pre-clinical vs. clinical platforms)
  3. Refine gadoxetate DCE-MRI in animals, analysing inhibitors for OATPs MRP2 and BSEP
  4. Optimize MRI techniques for improved usability in animals and humans
  5. Analyse gadoxetate DCE-MRI in healthy volunteers & in pruritis /cholestasis patients
  6. Investigate further BSEP specific imaging probes (PET & MRI)
  7. → Read more on imaging based liver transporter assessment

 

Lung

  1. clinical studies assessing DIILD: cancer patients & rheumatology patients to characterize lung issues by CT and 1H/129Xe MRI
  2. Use optimized CT & MRI methods in rats in order to refine animal models
  3. Characterize imaging biomarkers in rat models exhibiting different aspects of ILD
  4. Verify multicenter reproducibility
  5. Translate promising novel imaging biomarker
  6. → Read more on DIILD assessment by imaging

 

Biologics-PET

  1. Optimize 89Zr chelate & protein labeling strategy for improved protein PET
  2. Investigate Ab and peptide labeling with 89Zr in vitro and in vivo, compare to auto-radiography, validate with MALDI imaging methods (MSI)
  3. Validate 89Zr-Ab in patients against pre-clinical findings
  4. Refine IL2-PET labeling and utilization for assessment of downstream immunological effects in vitro & in vivo
  5. Use refined IL2 approach in patients receiving therapy
  6. → Read more on PET imaging for biologics