What is I-131 Iodocholesterol used for?

I-131 Iodocholesterol is indicated for Adrenocortical carcinoma (diagnostic and therapeutic).

Who makes I-131 Iodocholesterol?

I-131 Iodocholesterol is developed by M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.

What development phase is I-131 Iodocholesterol in?

I-131 Iodocholesterol is in Phase 3.

What are the side effects of I-131 Iodocholesterol?

Common side effects include Radiation-related bone marrow suppression, Nausea, Fatigue.

Last reviewed 2026-04-23 · How we verify

I-131 Iodocholesterol

M.D. Anderson Cancer Center · Phase 3 active Small molecule

I-131 Iodocholesterol is a radiolabeled cholesterol analog that localizes to adrenocortical tissue and delivers targeted radiation for imaging and therapeutic purposes in adrenocortical carcinoma.

I-131 Iodocholesterol is a radiolabeled cholesterol analog that localizes to adrenocortical tissue and delivers targeted radiation for imaging and therapeutic purposes in adrenocortical carcinoma. Used for Adrenocortical carcinoma (diagnostic and therapeutic).

At a glance

Generic name	I-131 Iodocholesterol
Sponsor	M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
Drug class	Radiopharmaceutical
Target	Adrenocortical tissue (cholesterol metabolism pathway)
Modality	Small molecule
Therapeutic area	Oncology
Phase	Phase 3

Mechanism of action

This radiopharmaceutical combines iodine-131, a beta-emitting radionuclide, with iodocholesterol, a cholesterol derivative that preferentially accumulates in adrenocortical cells due to their high cholesterol uptake and metabolism. The localized radiation delivery enables both diagnostic imaging of adrenocortical lesions and therapeutic destruction of adrenocortical cancer cells. This approach exploits the unique metabolic characteristics of adrenocortical tissue to achieve selective targeting.

Approved indications

Adrenocortical carcinoma (diagnostic and therapeutic)

Common side effects

Radiation-related bone marrow suppression
Nausea
Fatigue

Key clinical trials

Iodine I-131 Iodocholesterol, Its Use in Adrenal Screening (PHASE3)

Primary sources

Every claim on this page is sourced from regulatory or scientific primary sources. See our editorial policy for full methodology.

Source	Used for
ClinicalTrials.gov	Trial enrolment, design, endpoints, results

Competitive intelligence

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