Cyclotron for Alpha-Emitting Radioisotopes Launched by ACSI

Advanced Cyclotron Systems, Inc. (ACSI) has announced the launch and initial sale of its innovative TR-ALPHA. This new cyclotron – designed, developed, and manufactured in Canada – offers financial and space-saving benefits to healthcare and research organizations seeking a dedicated cyclotron to ramp up production of alpha-emitting radioisotopes to treat cancer.

Today, only a handful of companies worldwide manufacture cyclotrons. These sophisticated and specialized pieces of equipment produce radioactive isotopes (radioisotopes) that are used in nuclear medicine to diagnose health conditions such as heart disease and cancer.

However, in recent years, researchers have focused on the development of new radioactive drugs (radiopharmaceuticals) that can be used to treat cancer. Promising results have been achieved in clinical trials by using radioisotopes that decay by emitting a type of particle called alpha to treat several types of cancers. Through a relatively new treatment called targeted alpha therapy, alpha emitting radioisotopes precisely deliver radiation to destroy cancerous cells while minimizing the damage to surrounding normal tissue. Targeted alpha therapy may be more effective and result in fewer side effects for patients than traditional radiation treatments, and could become the standard for treatment for cancers such as prostate cancer, breast cancer, leukemia, and lymphoma.

However, the use of alpha emitting radioisotopes is limited by their low availability. Currently, just a few cyclotrons produce alpha emitting radioisotopes. They are large, expensive, and complicated to operate, and are not solely dedicated to alpha production.

ACSI's new TR-ALPHA is an ideal response to the market need for a cost-efficient cyclotron to produce large quantities of Astatine-211, one of the most promising alpha-emitting radioisotopes. The TR-ALPHA is also smaller, far less expensive, and easier to operate than existing cyclotron models capable of producing alpha emitting radioisotopes. It is the perfect solution for hospitals, researchers and universities interested in operating a dedicated cyclotron for the efficient production of large quantities of therapeutic alpha emitting radioisotopes.

Richard Eppich, ACSI President and CEO, said, "We are proud to contribute to the fight against cancer by being at the forefront of cyclotron innovation and radioisotope production. We believe that the TR-ALPHA's compact size, low costs, and always-on capability can help rapidly scale the commercial supply of alpha-emitting radioisotopes to healthcare providers and academic and pharmaceutical researchers dedicated to improving cancer care."

The first TR-ALPHA cyclotron has been acquired by Alpha Nuclide, a radiopharmaceutical company that is focused on the production and development of radioisotopes for cancer diagnosis and treatment. It has extensive experience in the production of Astatine-211.

Professor Feng Yutian, Alpha Nuclide Founder and CEO, said, "By joining forces with ACSI, we will be able to achieve large-scale commercial supply of Astatine-211 in China by 2025, allowing alpha-emitting radioisotopes to become a practical and effective treatment in our nuclear medicine departments. We have chosen the TR-ALPHA cyclotron based on ACSI's collaborative spirit and proven track record of designing and delivering outstanding products."