Contrast agent, useful for imaging tumor diseases e.g. neoplasm of lung, breast, colon or prostate, comprises a construct comprising two copies of a substrate for a tumor-specific protease, and linker with a recognition site for protease

摘要

Contrast agent comprises a construct comprising (i) at least two copies of a substrate (S) for at least a tumor-specific protease, and (ii) at least one linker (L) with at least one recognition site for the tumor-specific protease, where a hyperpolarization site is located at amino- and/or carboxy-terminus of the substrate. The linker is configured in such a manner that the hydrophobic ends of the substrate interact, and form a central core via non-covalent interactions with the lipophilic residues. Independent claims are also included for: (1) imaging a tumor tissue, where the tumor tissue enriched with the contrast agent is imaged by contacting with a para-hydrogen metal-template after hyperpolarization via a suitable imaging method ; and (2) imaging the tumor tissue in a patient, comprising (a) administering the contrast agent to a patient, (b) administering the para-hydrogen metal-template to the patient, and (c) representing the presence of a tumor with the imaging method.