Posted: 11 June 2025
Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre revealed highly encouraging initial results from its groundbreaking Terbium-161 prostate cancer therapy. The findings were presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) 2025 Annual Meeting in Chicago and published in the journal Lancet Oncology.
The VIOLET trial, a first-in-human clinical study, involved 30 patients with advanced prostate cancer that had progressed despite standard treatments. The trial aimed to assess the safety and efficacy of Terbium-161 (¹⁶¹Tb) targeted radioligand therapy. The results demonstrated significant reductions in prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels, a key biomarker for active prostate cancer, indicating a potent anti-cancer effect.
Lead Investigator Professor Michael Hofman, Director of the Prostate Cancer Theranostics and Imaging Centre of Excellence (ProsTIC) at Peter Mac, expressed optimism about the results. He stated, “These first-in-human results are incredibly encouraging. Terbium-161 therapy shows the potential to be a valuable new treatment option for patients with advanced prostate cancer.”
Terbium-161 offers advantages over lutetium-177, the current standard in infused radioactive therapy for advanced prostate cancer. Terbium-161 emits beta radiation and Auger electrons, delivering highly concentrated energy over short distances, resulting in a more potent and precise anti-cancer effect.
Professor Arun Azad, a medical oncologist at Peter Mac, highlighted the significance of the study, saying, “The unique properties of Terbium-161 offer a promising avenue for more effective and precise cancer treatment. The data support further evaluation of this novel therapy in larger phase III trials.”
Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre expressed gratitude to the patients, their families, and the research team involved in the VIOLET trial. The study was funded by the Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF), the Peter MacCallum Foundation, National Health and Medical Research Council (NHRMC) Investigator Grant, and Isotopia Molecular Imaging
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