Photo: cnl.ca/health-science
Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL) in Chalk River is working with a rare medical radioisotope that targets cancer tumors.
CNL’s President and CEO, Joe McBrearty, provided an update to Renfrew County council on Wednesday morning (January 26th, 2022).
As part of the presentation, McBrearty talked about working with Actinium-225, which is considered a potential treatment for a number of different cancers including prostate, pancreatic, bladder cancer and leukemia.
He says the biological research facility in Chalk River is producing the rare element and CNL is looking to advance production capabilities.
Plans at the site in Chalk River include building a new facility housing a cyclotron particle accelerator with a pharmaceutical grade isotope processing facility.
McBrearty says if they can save one life through research that’s incredibly important.
The President and CEO at CNL says Actinium-225 kills cancer cells without damaging surrounding tissue and adds early studies are looking promising.
McBrearty told Renfrew County council this will generate high tech employment opportunities in the region for 2o to 30-years.
Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL) is working with ITM Isotope Technologies Munich SE to explore the development and industrial-scale production of Actinium-225.
The organizations will collaborate on the development, manufacturing, and distribution pathways for the medical radioisotope.
CNL will be responsible for the research and development as well as the production of Actinium-225.
CNL and ITM are working towards establishing a continuous commercial supply of Actinium-225 for the global market.
McBrearty says this will put Canada in the forefront as a global provider of rare medical isotopes.
He expects the need for the rare medical radioisotope to increase by 100 to 300 times.