# A Novel Molecular Imaging Agent for Surgical Resection of Invasive Brain Tumors

> **NIH NIH R01** · CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY · 2021 · $713,380

## Abstract

Project Summary
Glioblastoma (GBM), the most common primary brain tumor, has median patient survival of little more than one
year. Surgical resection of all enhancing tumor prolongs survival, yet successful resection is challenging
because GBM tumors diffusely infiltrate the brain, which results in >90% local recurrence. Development of a
next-generation fluorescent molecular imaging agent to help surgeons differentiate cancerous from normal
tissue intraoperatively will help reduce the rate of local recurrence and improve patient survival outcomes. No
such agent for guided surgical resection of GBM currently has US FDA approval.
 An extracellular fragment of the cell surface adhesion molecule PTPµ is a unique imaging biomarker of the
tumor microenvironment. The PTPµ fragment arises from proteolytic cleavage of the receptor protein tyrosine
phosphatase (PTPµ), a proteolysis seen in multiple tumor types including GBM. An agent that binds to this
PTPµ fragment, SBK2, recognizes human GBM tumors. Systemic delivery of the SBK2 agent results in binding
to tumor cells within minutes in orthotopic xenografts in rodents, and can label virtually all the dispersing brain
tumor cells several millimeters away from the main tumor mass in mouse brains in vivo.
 This proposal aims to translate this highly-selective fluorescent SBK2 agent for pre-surgical systemic
delivery to cancerous GBM tissue and render it visible in real-time by current surgical microscopy adapted with
standard fluorescent filters. The fluorescent SBK2 molecular imaging agent would enhance the efficacy and
efficiency of GBM surgery by allowing real-time decisions regarding tumor borders.
 In this Academic-Industrial Partnership, a team with expertise in molecular biology, neurosurgery and
molecular imaging regulatory approval, will work together to translate SBK2 from a preclinical to a clinical
agent. To achieve this goal, the team will need to perform cGMP synthesis and toxicology studies before
obtaining FDA regulatory approval for investigational use. Upon FDA approval, the cGMP SBK2 agents will be
tested in a Phase 0 eIND imaging trial during surgical resection of GBM for determination of safety profile and
imaging efficacy. We expect that this translational plan for the SBK2 imaging agent will yield a new clinical
imaging capability for surgeon end users to reduce tumor burden and prolong patient survival.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10164729
- **Project number:** 5R01CA217956-05
- **Recipient organization:** CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** SUSANN M BRADY-KALNAY
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $713,380
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2017-06-15 → 2022-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10164729

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10164729, A Novel Molecular Imaging Agent for Surgical Resection of Invasive Brain Tumors (5R01CA217956-05). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10164729. Licensed CC0.

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