NorthStar Medical Radioisotopes, SHINE Medical Technologies awarded funding from NNSA

Two Wisconsin-based companies, NorthStar Medical Radioisotopes and SHINE Medical Technologies, have received funding from the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) for the development of medical isotopes.

NorthStar received $11.75 million total from the NNSA for the continued development and commercialization of two different technologies for the production of molybdenum-99 (Mo-99) without using highly enriched uranium.

$8.86 million was to support the company’s neutron capture production process, and $2.89 million was to support its accelerator production process.

“These awards are clear indications of the progress that NorthStar is making toward bringing a viable domestic supply of Mo-99 to the United States – something we have not had since 1990,” George P. Messina, NorthStar president and CEO, said in a statement. “They are significant milestones toward ensuring that medical professionals here have reliable access to this vital isotope, enabling them to make accurate diagnoses and conduct important research, while also addressing important safety and national security concerns.”

Meanwhile, SHINE received $1 million from the NNSA to accelerate its own efforts to produce Mo-99 without highly enriched uranium.

SHINE is currently going through the construction permitting process with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission as the company gets closer to building its new manufacturing facility.

“We greatly appreciate the continued support from the NNSA as we work to bring a domestic supply of medical isotopes to the U.S.,” Greg Piefer, SHINE CEO, said in the company’s statement. “In addition to financial assistance, the partnership provides valuable technical expertise through the National Labs. This award brings us another step closer to providing patients with life-saving medical isotopes.”