Abstract
Antimony-119 ((119)Sb) holds promise for radiopharmaceutical therapy (RPT), emitting short-range Auger and conversion electrons that can deliver cytotoxic radiation on a cellular level. While it has high promise theoretically, experimental validation is necessary for (119)Sb in vivo applications. Current (119)Sb production and separation methods face robustness and compatibility challenges in radiopharmaceutical synthesis. Limited progress in chelator development hampers targeted experiments with (119)Sb. This review compiles literature on the toxicological, biodistribution and redox properties of Sb, along with existing Sb complexes, evaluating their suitability for radiopharmaceuticals. Sb(III) is suggested as the preferred oxidation state for radiopharmaceutical elaboration due to its stability in vivo and lack of skeletal uptake. While Sb complexes with both hard and soft donor atoms can be achieved, Sb thiol complexes offer enhanced stability and compatibility with the desired Sb(III) oxidation state. For (119)Sb to find application in RPT, scientists need to make discoveries and advancements in the areas of isotope production, and radiometal chelation. This review aims to guide future research towards harnessing the therapeutic potential of (119)Sb in RPT.