Automated, multi-pot high-pressure radio-synthesizer for production of pet tracers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10081005-B2
Application number	US-201414777973-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 26, 2014
Priority date	Mar 26, 2013
Publication date	Sep 25, 2018
Grant date	Sep 25, 2018

Abstract

An automated radiosynthesizer device includes a plurality of reactor assemblies, each reactor assembly being operatively connected to a horizontal actuator for moving the reactor assembly in the horizontal direction and a vertical actuator for moving the reactor assembly in the vertical direction. A plurality of disposable cassettes are disposed above each of the plurality of reactor assemblies, each cassette comprising a lower surface comprising a plurality of sealed and un-sealed gaskets, wherein the un-sealed gaskets are connected to internal fluid paths within the cassette. The device includes a three-axis reagent and gas handling robot disposed above the plurality of cassettes and terminates in a vial gripper and a gas manifold having an inert gas port and a vacuum port. The device includes a control system configured to control the horizontal actuator and vertical actuator of each reactor assembly and the three-axis reagent and gas handling robot.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An automated radiosynthesizer device comprising:
a plurality of reactor assemblies, each reactor assembly of the plurality being operatively connected to a horizontal actuator for moving the reactor assembly in the horizontal direction and a vertical actuator for moving the reactor assembly in the vertical direction;
a plurality of disposable cassettes disposed above each of the plurality of reactor assemblies, each disposable cassette comprising a lower surface comprising a plurality of sealed and un-sealed gaskets, wherein the un-sealed gaskets are connected to internal fluid paths within the disposable cassette;
a reagent and gas handling robot disposed above the plurality of disposable cassettes and comprising an x-axis actuator, a y-axis actuator, a first z-axis actuator, and a second z-axis actuator, wherein the first z-axis actuator is operatively coupled to a vial gripper and the second z-axis actuator is operatively coupled to a gas manifold; and
a control system configured to control the horizontal actuator and vertical actuator of each reactor assembly and the reagent and gas handling robot.

2. The automated radiosynthesizer device of claim 1 , wherein at least one of internal fluid paths terminate at one or more needles projecting from an upper surface of the disposable cassette.

3. The automated radiosynthesizer device of claim 2 , wherein the one or more needles comprise a pair of needles with one needle of the pair extending further from the disposable cassette than the other needle.

4. The automated radiosynthesizer device of claim 1 , wherein the internal fluid paths include a plurality of valves located within the disposable cassette, the automated radiosynthesizer device comprising valve actuators configured to interface with the plurality of valves.

5. The automated radiosynthesizer device of claim 1 , wherein an upper surface of the disposable cassette comprising a plurality of vial storage positions.

6. The automated radiosynthesizer device of claim 1 , wherein each cassette further comprises a dip tube extending away from the lower surface of the cassette.

7. The automated radiosynthesizer device of claim 1 , wherein each reactor assembly comprises a plurality spring-biased heating assemblies configured to hold a reaction vial.

8. The automated radiosynthesizer device of claim 7 , wherein the spring-biased heating assemblies each comprise a coolant fluid path coupled to a cooling system operated by the control system.

9. The automated radiosynthesizer device of claim 1 , wherein each reactor assembly comprises a motor coupled to a magnet.

10. The automated radiosynthesizer device of claim 1 , wherein each reactor assembly comprises video camera.

11. The automated radiosynthesizer device of claim 1 , wherein the vertical actuator comprises a plurality of pneumatic actuators.

12. The radiosynthesizer device of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of gas ports disposed in an upper surface of the disposable cassettes, the plurality of gas ports communicating with the internal fluid paths.

13. The radiosynthesizer device of claim 1 , further comprising a conduit connecting one of the plurality of disposable cassettes to another of the plurality of disposable cassettes.

14. The radiosynthesizer device of claim 1 , further comprising a purification cartridge operably connected to at least one of the disposable cassettes.

15. The radiosynthesizer device of claim 1 , further comprising a HPLC injection valve fluidically coupled to one of the disposable cassettes.

16. The radiosynthesizer device of claim 1 , wherein the gas manifold comprises an inert gas port and a vacuum port.

17. An automated method of performing radiosynthesis using a device having a plurality of reactor assemblies, each reactor assembly of the plurality being moveable in a vertical and horizontal direction; a plurality of disposable cassettes disposed above each of the plurality of reactor assemblies, each disposable cassette comprising a lower surface comprising a plurality of sealed and un-sealed gaskets, wherein the un-sealed gaskets are connected to internal fluid paths within the disposable cassette; a reagent and gas handling robot disposed above the plurality of disposable cassettes; and a control system configured to control the movement of the reactor assemblies and the reagent and gas handling robot, the method comprising:
moving a reactor vial contained in a first reactor assembly vertically against one or more of the sealed and unsealed gaskets of a first disposable cassette and performing one or more of the following operations on a radiosynthesis reagent or precursor contained in the reactor vial: addition, evaporation, reaction;
moving a reactor vial contained in a second reactor assembly vertically against one or more of the sealed and unsealed gaskets of a second disposable cassette;
transferring the radiosynthesis reagent or precursor to a second disposable cassette and into the reactor vial contained in the second reactor; and
performing one or more of the following operations on a radiosynthesis reagent or precursor contained in the reactor vial contained in the second reactor: addition, evaporation, reaction.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising moving a reactor vial contained in a third reactor assembly vertically against one or more of the sealed and unsealed gaskets of a third disposable cassette; and
transferring the radiosynthesis reagent or precursor to a third disposable cassette and into the reactor vial contained in the third reactor; and
performing one or more of the following operations on a radiosynthesis reagent or precursor contained in the reactor vial contained in the third reactor: addition, evaporation, reaction.

19. The method of claim 17 , further comprising transferring a final radiosynthesis product to a collection vial or an HPLC injection valve.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the control system executes a pre-programmed sequence of operations to create the final radiosynthesis product.

Assignees

• Univ California

Inventors

• Moore Melissa
• Van Dam R Michael
• Quinn Kevin
• Claggett Shane
• Herman Henry
• Lazari Mark

Classifications

• B01J2219/0097

  Optical sensors · CPC title

• B01J14/00

  Chemical processes in general for reacting liquids with liquids; Apparatus specially adapted therefor (B01J8/00, B01J19/08 take precedence) · CPC title

• B01J19/0093

  Microreactors, e.g. miniaturised or microfabricated reactors (laboratory containers with capillary fluid transport in microfabricated channels or chambers B01L3/5027) · CPC title

• B01J2219/00986

  Microprocessor · CPC title

• C07H17/02

  Heterocyclic radicals containing only nitrogen as ring hetero atoms · CPC title