TerraPower Isotopes and PanTera have formed a strategic alliance to enhance global access to actinium-225 (225Ac), a promising radioisotope for cancer treatment. The collaboration aims to increase near-term production, support clinical trials, and ensure a consistent long-term supply. This partnership seeks to address the scarcity of 225Ac, with the potential for significant future revenues. By leveraging innovative production methods, the alliance aims to advance targeted alpha therapy radiopharmaceuticals as an effective cancer treatment option, benefiting both medical research and patient care.
In a strategic alliance, TerraPower Isotopes and PanTera, a joint venture established by SCK CEN and IBA from Belgium, have formally announced their collaboration to enhance the worldwide accessibility of actinium-225 (225Ac), a radioisotope with significant potential for treating a diverse range of cancer types. Their combined efforts will focus on boosting the immediate production of 225Ac[1], supporting ongoing clinical trials, and ensuring a robust, long-term supply of this radioisotope, addressing the escalating global demand for its use.
While the financial impact of this collaboration won’t be immediate, it holds the promise of generating substantial future revenues for PanTera and, indirectly, for its parent companies SCK CEN and IBA, a publicly listed entity on the Brussels stock exchange.
In a concerted endeavor, both companies will leverage TerraPower Isotope’s thorium-229 (229Th) natural decay method and PanTera’s “Gamma route,” utilizing the Rhodotron and radium-226, to manufacture 225Ac.
225Ac is a highly promising alpha emitter for application in Targeted Alpha Therapy (TAT). Through further refinement of existing research molecules combined with 225Ac, a diverse array of cancers, including solid tumors, metastases, and systemic malignancies such as leukemia, can be targeted. Numerous clinical studies are presently underway, spanning the spectrum from early-stage research to advanced phase 3 trials. Despite robust demand, the availability of 225Ac remains limited. The PanTera and TerraPower Isotopes partnership aims to tackle this supply constraint and bolster the clinical advancement of 225Ac-based drugs as a potential avenue for cancer treatment.
Sven Van den Berghe, Chief Executive Officer of PanTera, expressed his enthusiasm for the collaboration, stating, “We are delighted to partner with TerraPower Isotopes to expand the availability of 225Ac in the market. While we continue to refine our distinctive technology for large-scale 225Ac production, starting in 2024, we will also provide the radioisotope to drug developers for their research and clinical trials, as well as to physicians for compassionate use. This volume is projected to equal half of the current supply, laying the foundation for the broader advancement of these targeted alpha therapy radiopharmaceuticals as an efficacious cancer treatment option.”
Scott Claunch, President of TerraPower Isotopes, added his perspective, saying, “Aligned with TerraPower’s commitment to developing innovative nuclear science solutions for combating diseases, TerraPower Isotopes is excited to form this partnership with PanTera. As the demand for 225Ac continues to rise, driven by the development of various radiopharmaceutical treatments utilizing its potential for diverse cancer types, this collaboration stands poised to facilitate the supply of this invaluable material to the pharmaceutical industry and meet the escalating global need.”
