Toronto – December 7 2023 – In support of Canadian Nuclear Isotope Council’s (CNIC) goal of ensuring a reliable supply of medical isotopes for patients and doubling Canada’s production of isotopes by 2030, CNIC is excited to welcome Actineer to its growing membership.
Formed in October 2023, Actineer is a joint venture company between Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL) and ITM Isotope Technologies Munich SE (ITM). Created with the mission of fulfilling unmet global needs for Actinium-225 (Ac-225), Actineer will advance production and secure supply that will allow industrial-scale quantities of the isotope to be produced here in Canada. This will facilitate research & drug development, clinical trials, patient access to state-of-art radiopharmaceuticals and enhanced access for Canadians and cancer patients worldwide.
Alpha-emitters, particularly Ac-225, are used in Targeted Alpha Therapy (TAT) due to their significant potential to treat a variety of different cancers. Ac-225 is in high demand for its ability to cause damage to cancer cells by emitting high-energy alpha particles with a short penetration range, which potentially enable precise treatment of tumor cells with minimal impact to surrounding healthy tissue. In preclinical studies, TATs have shown remarkable results, destroying cancer cells by effectively breaking the bonds in their DNA.
Novel Ac-225-based radiopharmaceuticals require a reliable and growing supply – a challenge that Actineer is addressing. By encouraging international collaboration and innovation in production, Actineer will confront these challenges in supply, expand domestic manufacturing, and increase Canada’s capacity to deliver significant quantities of this high-demand isotope to patients across the world.
