Demotate is a new tetraamine-functionalised [Tyr3]octreotate derivative that binds technetium-99m with a high efficiency under mild conditions. The resulting radioligand, [99mTc]Demotate, forms in a high purity and is stable for at least 6 h after labelling. The affinity of the unlabelled peptide for somatostatin receptors is high (IC(50)=0.13 n M) and comparable to that of [Tyr3]octreotate or [Tyr3]octreotide, as demonstrated by competition binding experiments in rat brain cortex or AR42J cell membrane preparations. An equally very high affinity ( K(d)=0.07 n M) was exhibited by [99mTc/99gTc]Demotate during saturation binding experiments using rat brain cortex membrane homogenates. The radioligand resisted hydrolytic degradation in mouse plasma and was excreted intact in mouse urine. In vivo, [99mTc]Demotate cleared very rapidly from non-target tissues into the bladder via the kidneys, while radioactivity uptake in target organs was very high. In mice bearing the experimental AR42J tumour, [99mTc]Demotate demonstrated a very high tumour uptake at 1 h p.i. (25%ID/g) that remained high (20%ID/g) at 4 h p.i. This uptake could be effectively blocked by co-injection of a high dose of [Tyr3]octreotate together with the radioligand. High-quality planar and single-photon emission tomographic images were acquired 1 h after injection of [99mTc]Demotate in tumour-bearing mice, illustrating the excellent properties of this agent for somatostatin receptor tumour imaging.