The advantages of UCLA's method are its simplicity and wider applicability. In general, fluorinated purines may find use in anti-cancer and anti-viral therapies. For example, we have evaluated the biological activity of 8-fluoroacycloguanines and have observed them to be functional substrates for HSV-tk. Extension of this electrophilic fluorination methodology to radiolabeling of purines with F-18 (a radioisotope of fluorine) has resulted in 8-[F-18] fluoropurines for use in Positron Emission Tomography (PET) in monitoring gene expression in-vivo.

The commercial and scientific importance of this discovery is enormous. By following this general and broadly applicable methodology, it is now possible, for the first time, to synthesize otherwise inaccessible 8-fluoropurine derivatives. If you are interested in commercializing this patented technology, please contact the University for additional information.

Reference: UCLA Case No. 1997-543

US Patent Numbers: 5,861,503 | 6,262,254