The Research Progress of Monoclonal Antibody Labeled with ⁸⁹Zr

Zirconium-89 (⁸⁹Zr) is a metallic positron-emitting radionuclide. The relatively long half-life and moderate energy making ⁸⁹Zr especially suitable for the labeling of large biomolecules such as antibodies for radioimmuno-PET (positron emission tomography) imaging. In recent years, significant progress has been made in the research of ⁸⁹Zr-labeled monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), driven by the development of mAb therapies. Currently, some of these mAb drugs have entered clinical phases II and III. In the labeling methods of ⁸⁹Zr, deferoxamine B (DFO) is the most commonly used chelator and has been applied in clinical research. However, researchers are still continually exploring better ligands. In terms of chelator-mAb conjugation techniques, various forms of DFO derivatives remain the primary focus of research. In this article, ⁸⁹Zr labeling methods, chelator conjugation techniques, and advances in ⁸⁹Zr-mAbs were reviewed. The challenges, issues, and future trends of ⁸⁹Zr-mAbs has also been discussed and prospected.