JANESVILLE, Wis., Jan. 21, 2020 – SHINE Medical Technologies LLC, the Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry (IOCB Prague) and GE Healthcare today announced the production of patient dose quantities of the therapeutic isotope lutetium-177 (Lu-177). The lot passed GE Healthcare’s quality control testing, including internationally recognized radionuclide purity (RNP) standards. The delivery of Lu-177 in this quantity and purity demonstrates the suitability of the IOCB technology for Lu-177 production. It is a major step toward commercial production of the therapeutic isotope by SHINE.
Last May, SHINE entered an agreement with IOCB Prague that granted the company exclusive access to IOCB Prague’s novel technology, which is used to separate lutetium from enriched ytterbium targets. The technology enabled the production of the non-carrier-added (nca) Lu‑177 supplied to GE Healthcare. The isotope was produced in collaboration with the Nuclear Physics Institute in Czechia. The Nuclear Physics Institute and IOCB Prague are members of the Czech Academy of Sciences.
Lu-177 is used to treat neuroendocrine cancers. It also shows promise for the treatment of metastatic prostate and other cancers. The isotope is a low-energy beta-particle emitter that works by directly irradiating cancer cells after being delivered to the cancer site by a targeting molecule.
“Non-carrier-added Lu-177 at the dosage and purity delivered to us bodes well for the potential to provide physicians and patients with a vital, highly effective therapeutic isotope,” said Charles Shanks, GE Healthcare’s principal engineer, Life Sciences. “Lu-177 is one of the key drivers of growth in the medical isotope market. It represents a major opportunity to better serve the market.”
“The delivery of patient dose quantities of Lu-177 to GE Healthcare is a significant step forward for SHINE Therapeutics,” said Katrina Pitas, the vice president and general manager of SHINE Therapeutics. “Together with our collaborators from the Czech Academy of Sciences, we have demonstrated the capability to produce Lu-177 at a very high standard of purity. We look forward to continuing to work with GE Healthcare to move Lu-177 closer to commercialization and the patients who will benefit from it most.”
“Producing clinically relevant doses of any therapeutic radionuclide is not easy and we have demonstrated that our technology can meet the challenge for nca Lu-177,” said Dr. Miloslav Polasek of IOCB Prague. “I am very grateful to the SHINE, IOCB and NPI teams for the progress we are making together.”
Based in Janesville, Wisconsin, SHINE deploys its safe, cost-effective and environmentally friendly fusion technology in a stepwise approach. Its systems are used to inspect industrial components in aerospace, defense, energy and other sectors. SHINE’s proprietary medical isotope production processes create non-carrier-added lutetium-177 and are expected to create molybdenum-99. In the future, SHINE plans to scale its fusion technology to help solve one of energy’s toughest hurdles by recycling nuclear waste. Through a purpose-driven and phased approach, SHINE aims to generate fusion power to deliver clean, abundant energy that could transform life on Earth. Want to learn more about SHINE? Follow us on social media @shinefusion and sign up for our email newsletter to follow us on our journey!
Media Contact: info@shinefusion.com
GE Healthcare Life Sciences helps therapy innovators, researchers and healthcare providers accelerate how precision diagnostics and therapies are invented, made and used. Our products enable biological analysis, research, development and the manufacture of advanced therapies and vaccines. Life Sciences is part of the $19.8 billion healthcare business of GE. With over 100 years of experience in the healthcare industry and more than 50,000 employees globally, GE Healthcare helps efficiently improve outcomes for patients, healthcare providers, researchers, and life sciences companies around the world. Visit the website www.gelifesciences.com/about-us for more information.
The Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences / IOCB Prague (www.uochb.cz) is a leading internationally recognized scientific institution whose primary mission is the pursuit of basic research in chemical biology and medicinal chemistry, organic and materials chemistry, chemistry of natural substances, biochemistry and molecular biology, physical chemistry, theoretical chemistry, and analytical chemistry. An integral part of the IOCB Prague’s mission is the implementation of the results of basic research in practice. Emphasis on interdisciplinary research gives rise to a wide range of applications in medicine, pharmacy, and other fields.
