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MOSCOW, April 28Rosatom will supply China with advanced radiopharmaceuticals used to treat cancer, this was discussed at a meeting of Russian and Chinese nuclear scientists at the site of the Rosatom enterprise Scientific Research Institute of Atomic Reactors (NIIAR, Dimitrovgrad, Ulyanovsk Region).
Solemn events dedicated to the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the joint venture «Beijing KIAE — RIAR Radioisotope Company Limited» were held at RIAR. This joint venture was created by RIAR together with the China Institute of Atomic Energy (KIAE), the main research organization of the China National Nuclear Corporation.
«We note the high results of our activities: the range of products sold, which are in high demand in industry and nuclear medicine, has been expanded, new opportunities for further development have been identified. In particular, our colleagues confirmed their high interest in new promising products and their readiness to bring them to the market, including 2023-2024 for Chinese consumers of preparations based on lutetium-177 and actinium-225,” said RIAR Director Alexander Tuzov, whose words are quoted in the RIAR message.
According to the press release, the company's share in the Chinese market for radioisotope sources from iridium-192 for technical and medical purposes and selenium-75 is more than 80%. Neutron sources based on californium-252 for industrial use are being successfully implemented. For more than 20 years, the company has been producing «gamma knives» — an indispensable tool for the treatment of brain tumors without surgical intervention. The line of popular medical radioactive isotopes offered by the company also includes strontium-89, molybdenum-99, iodine-131, iodine-125 and others. Since last year, deliveries of a domestic drug based on radium-223 have begun.
«Taking into account the great interest of the world healthcare system in the development of nuclear medicine, the management and members of the technical commission of the enterprise during working meetings discussed in detail the prospects for expanding cooperation in this direction. The parties noted that from 2025 it is possible to significantly increase the volume of supplies, including through timely successful implementation at RIAR of the project for the modernization of the high-flux research reactor SM-3, which is producing various isotope products,» the report says.
«In the near future, we are considering the supply of a new line of radionuclide products used in the treatment of prostate cancer, intestinal cancer, gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors, used in targeted alpha therapy for bone metastases. It is very important that in addition to supplying products, our joint venture provides a full range of services their consumers,» added Andrey Shikunov, Deputy Director for Development and International Activities of RIAR.
Today in the world, dozens of radiopharmaceuticals based on the isotopes lutetium-177 (Lu-177) and actinium-225 (Ac-225) are at various stages of clinical trials. According to the scientific community, innovative radiopharmaceuticals will make a significant contribution to the fight against common cancers. Technologies for the production of preparations based on lutetium-177 and actinium-225 are being developed at Rosatom.
Lutetium-177 is one of the most promising radionuclides that serve as the basis for the production of innovative radiopharmaceuticals. According to scientists leading the development of advanced drugs, preparations with Lu-177 demonstrate high efficiency in targeted therapy for a number of oncological diseases. Rosatom is the only company in the world with the technological capabilities to produce all types of lutetium-177.
Actinium-225 belongs to the so-called alpha emitters — radioactive isotopes that emit alpha particles during their decay, which allow targeted killing of only tumor cells without damaging healthy tissues. Therefore, alpha emitters are often referred to as «the future of nuclear medicine». Ac-225 can be used both independently to fight malignant tumors, and to obtain a daughter radioisotope, bismuth-213, which is also used in oncology to treat many forms of cancer.
The State Scientific Center of the Russian Federation RIAR is the largest Russian research experimental complex of nuclear power engineering. Several research nuclear reactors operate within RIAR.