Shine, NorthStar continue efforts toward U.S. production of Mo-99
October 23, 2015
by Gus Iversen, Editor in Chief
NorthStar Medical Radioisotopes and Shine Medical Technologies have each announced new funding awarded to them as part of a U.S. government effort to encourage innovative and safer means of producing molybdenum-99 (Mo-99) domestically.
NorthStar announced receiving $11.75 million and Shine, its neighbor in Wisconsin, announced receiving $1 million. Both companies had received prior funding as part of these agreements.
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) established these agreements to ensure a shortage of the isotope can be avoided while the nuclear reactors that currently generate Mo-99 grow older and less dependable. Mo-99 is the parent isotope of technetium-99 (Tc-99m) — a workhorse isotope for SPECT imaging in nuclear medicine.
The DOE/NNSA agreements are implemented under a 50/50 cost sharing arrangement, with a cap of $25 million ($50 million in total). At this point, Shine has received $15 million from the DOE/NNSA, meaning the company may still call on an additional $10 million, provided it matches the investment.
Shine said the award will be used to advance work being done as the company enters the final stages of the construction permitting process with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), calling the permit a "major milestone" that is required before it can begin building its manufacturing facility in Janesville, Wisconsin.
"We greatly appreciate the continued support from the NNSA as we work to bring a domestic supply of medical isotopes to the U.S.," said Greg Piefer, CEO of Shine, in a statement. "In addition to financial assistance, the partnership provides valuable technical expertise though the National Labs. This award brings us another step closer to providing patients with life-saving medical isotopes."
NorthStar's funding will be divided into two different Mo-99 production processes, and therefore represents two separate cooperative agreements. $8.86 million will go to the company's neutron capture production process and $2.89 million will go to its linear accelerator production process.
The funding for the neutron capture process — which caps out the $50 million limit — will be invested in scaling up Mo-99 production capacity to 3,000 6-day curies by the end of next year, according to NorthStar.
Its linear accelerator process still has a way to go before maximizing the funding agreement. With contributions totaling $5.7 million from the DOE/NNSA, that agreement is valued at $11.4 million total. The company did not specify how the new funding will be allocated within that project.
"These awards are clear indications of the progress that NorthStar is making toward bringing a viable domestic supply of Mo-99 to the U.S. - something we have not had since 1990," said George P. Messina, CEO at NorthStar, in a statement.
NorthStar announced receiving $11.75 million and Shine, its neighbor in Wisconsin, announced receiving $1 million. Both companies had received prior funding as part of these agreements.
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) established these agreements to ensure a shortage of the isotope can be avoided while the nuclear reactors that currently generate Mo-99 grow older and less dependable. Mo-99 is the parent isotope of technetium-99 (Tc-99m) — a workhorse isotope for SPECT imaging in nuclear medicine.
The DOE/NNSA agreements are implemented under a 50/50 cost sharing arrangement, with a cap of $25 million ($50 million in total). At this point, Shine has received $15 million from the DOE/NNSA, meaning the company may still call on an additional $10 million, provided it matches the investment.
Shine said the award will be used to advance work being done as the company enters the final stages of the construction permitting process with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), calling the permit a "major milestone" that is required before it can begin building its manufacturing facility in Janesville, Wisconsin.
"We greatly appreciate the continued support from the NNSA as we work to bring a domestic supply of medical isotopes to the U.S.," said Greg Piefer, CEO of Shine, in a statement. "In addition to financial assistance, the partnership provides valuable technical expertise though the National Labs. This award brings us another step closer to providing patients with life-saving medical isotopes."
NorthStar's funding will be divided into two different Mo-99 production processes, and therefore represents two separate cooperative agreements. $8.86 million will go to the company's neutron capture production process and $2.89 million will go to its linear accelerator production process.
The funding for the neutron capture process — which caps out the $50 million limit — will be invested in scaling up Mo-99 production capacity to 3,000 6-day curies by the end of next year, according to NorthStar.
Its linear accelerator process still has a way to go before maximizing the funding agreement. With contributions totaling $5.7 million from the DOE/NNSA, that agreement is valued at $11.4 million total. The company did not specify how the new funding will be allocated within that project.
"These awards are clear indications of the progress that NorthStar is making toward bringing a viable domestic supply of Mo-99 to the U.S. - something we have not had since 1990," said George P. Messina, CEO at NorthStar, in a statement.