METALLOCENE COMPOUNDS AND LABELED MOLECULES COMPRISING THE SAME FOR IN VIVO IMAGING

The present invention concerns compounds and methods of labeling peptides or other molecules with<18>F or<19>F or any other suitable radionuclide o use, for example, in PET or NMPv in vivo imaging. A targeting molecule such as a protein or a peptide is linked to a substituted metal locene complex which is reacted with the<18>F or<19>F shortly before performing the PET or NMR in vivo imaging on the patient. In certain embodiments, the labeled molecule may be used for targeting a cell, tissue, organ or pathogen to be imaged or detected. Exemplary targeting molecules include, but are not limited to, an antibody, antigen- binding antibody fragment, bispecific antibody, affibody, diabody, minibody, ScFvs, aptamer, avimer, targeting peptide, somatostatin, bombesin, octreotide, RGD peptide, folate, folate analog or any other molecule known to bind to a disease-associated target.