Study of [18F]MK-6240, a second-generation tau PET tracer, for the diagnosis and monitoring of Alzheimer’s disease and other tauopathies

Abstract

This thesis evaluates [¹⁸F]MK-6240, a second-generation tau PET tracer, for its ability to detect and quantify tau pathology in Alzheimer’s disease and other tauopathies. It demonstrates that [¹⁸F]MK-6240 offers high specificity for AD-related tauopathy (3R/4R paired helical filaments), with limited off-target binding. A novel quantification method, the Extent of Tauopathy is developed and shown to correlate more strongly with cognitive impairment than traditional SUVr metrics. The study confirms that [¹⁸F]MK-6240 has great clinical potential in distinguishing AD from other neurodegenerative diseases and in tracking disease progression. These findings support its integration into diagnostic workflows and therapeutic trials targeting tau pathology.(BIFA - Sciences biomédicales et pharmaceutiques) -- UCL, 202