Radiopharmaceutical partnership targets copper-67 supply for prostate, breast cancer
NUCLIDIUM AG has entered a long-term partnership with NorthStar Medical to further bolster the radiopharmaceutical pipeline.
The Switzerland-based company, which specializes in copper-based radiotheranostics, announced the agreement on Monday, highlighting its promise to help scale the production of valuable cancer therapeutics. The agreement is intended to help NUCLIDIUM increase production as its radiotheranostic pipeline advances. Its lead therapeutic programs include NU101 for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer and NU201 for metastatic breast cancer. The company also is developing earlier stage candidates for other solid tumors, with plans to focus on women's oncology.
The deal between the duo stipulates that NorthStar will produce and supply copper-67 (Cu-67) to support NUCLIDIUM’s initiatives. Cu-67 is a beta-emitting therapeutic radioisotope that can deliver radiation to targeted cancer cells. NUCLIDIUM's approach pairs the isotope with tumor-specific ligands, targeting tumors while limiting exposure to surrounding healthy tissue. It is a key component of the company's therapies.
NorthStar produces Cu-67 and no-carrier-added actinium-225 using electron accelerator technology. Its integrated production and manufacturing infrastructure is designed to support radiopharmaceutical programs as they scale and will pave the way for NUCLIDIUM to do so as well.
“As demand for copper-based radiotheranostics continues to grow, reliable isotope supply and scalable manufacturing infrastructure will be essential for successful commercialization,” Frank Scholz, PhD, president and CEO of NorthStar, said in a release on the announcement. “NorthStar's integrated platform is designed to provide both, allowing NUCLIDIUM to advance its programs efficiently from clinical development through future commercial launch.”
“Our collaboration with NorthStar strengthens our copper isotope supply chain at a critical moment, ensuring we are well prepared to execute on our near-term clinical development objectives and meet the long-term demand for our radiotheranostics,” added Leila Jaafar, PhD, CEO and co-founder of NUCLIDIUM . “NUCLIDIUM remains on track to initiate multiple therapeutic studies utilizing Copper-67 for mCRPC and mBC in the coming months, while expanding our radiotheranostic portfolio into the clinic, including specifically women's oncology indications.”
It should be noted that the aforementioned therapies remain investigational, and their safety and efficacy will need to be evaluated through clinical studies. NUCLIDIUM has plans to launch several trials using Cu-67 for prostate and breast cancer in the coming months.
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In addition to her background in journalism, Hannah also has patient-facing experience in clinical settings, having spent more than 12 years working as a registered rad tech. She began covering the medical imaging industry for Innovate Healthcare in 2021.