March 8, 2021 —IBA(Ion Beam Applications S.A., EURONEXT) andNorthStar Medical Radioisotopes, LLC, announced a collaboration to increase global availability oftechnetium-99m(Tc-99m), the most widely used medical radioisotope. The collaboration enables companies outside of the United States to access the Tc-99m Generation Systems (TCM Generation Systems) that utilize NorthStar’s proprietarynon-uranium based Mo-99produced using IBA’s accelerators and beamlines.
The collaboration builds on an existing contract under which IBA is providing NorthStar with up to eightRhodotron TT 300-HEelectron beam accelerators. They will be used for the production of non-uranium based Mo-99, which enables NorthStar’s FDA-approved and commercially available RadioGenix® System (technetium Tc 99m generator) to produce Tc-99m in the United States. NorthStar’s Accelerator Production facility expansion is nearing completion in Beloit, Wisconsin, with the first pair of IBA accelerators due to arrive from Belgium in early April 2021.
“Every year approximately 30 million patients benefit from diagnostic imaging studies using Tc-99m,” saidStephen Merrick, President and Chief Executive Officer of NorthStar. “NorthStar is delighted to expand its collaboration with IBA, as we view them to be an ideal partner to grow the use of non-uranium based Mo-99 to support a sustainable and innovative future for nuclear medicine. Based on their commercial expertise and tailored approach, we believe IBA complements NorthStar’s global vision of delivering innovative solutions that can address critical patient healthcare needs related to medical diagnosis. We are proud to lead the field of nuclear medicine as the only commercialized producer of Mo-99 in the United States, having provided more than two years of stable U.S. commercial production to date. We look forward to deepening our collaboration with IBA and are confident that this joint approach has the potential to make non-uranium Mo-99 the leading worldwide source of Tc-99m.”
Olivier Legrain， IBA首席执行官评论说:“我们很高兴与北极星医疗放射性同位素进入中医发电系统的扩大合作，使更多的公司能够使用这一重要的医疗诊断工具。IBA的Rhodotron®加速器提供世界上最先进的加速器技术，我们期待与北极星合作，应用创新的解决方案，在全球基础上实现可靠的放射性同位素供应，并在未来探索更多的生产机会。”
NorthStar’s Accelerator Production facility expansion in Beloit, Wisconsin,will ensure sustainable domestic Mo-99 supply for the United States through dual production and processing hubs for additional capacity and scheduling flexibility. Pending appropriate licensure and approval, the facility will augment current Mo-99 processing in Columbia, Missouri, conducted in partnership with theUniversity of Missouri Research Reactor(MURR).
For more information:www.iba-worldwide.com
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