BELOIT, Wis.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--NorthStar Medical Radioisotopes, LLC, a global innovator in the production and distribution of radioisotopes used for medical imaging, today announced that it has been awarded $15 million in a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration (DOE/NNSA) as part of an industry outreach initiative to establish reliable domestic molybdenum-99 (Mo-99) production without the use of highly enriched uranium. NorthStar will use funds from the award to further advance its current neutron capture technology which enables non-uranium based production of the important medical radioisotope Mo-99. Funds will also be used in continuing development of enhancements for the FDA-approved and commercially available RadioGenix System (technetium 99m generator). The RadioGenix System uses reliable, domestic, non-uranium based Mo-99 to supply physicians and their patients with the most widely used diagnostic imaging radioisotope, technetium 99m (Tc 99m).

“We greatly appreciate this new cooperative agreement award and the continued financial and technical support provided by DOE/NNSA, which will help NorthStar expand Mo-99 production capacity and efficiency, as well as support enhancements to the RadioGenix System to continue optimizing utility in radiopharmacies,” said Stephen Merrick, President and Chief Executive Officer of NorthStar. “Like DOE/NNSA, NorthStar shares a vision of protecting national security and the environment while providing the nuclear medicine community and the patients it serves with a reliable domestic supply of Mo-99 produced without highly enriched uranium.”

Mr. Merrick continued, “In conjunction with the RadioGenix System being increasingly used commercially, NorthStar is already producing domestic, non-uranium based Mo-99 and we are actively executing on our plans to expand our capacity to meet future needs. Construction is complete on our 20,000 square foot facility expansion in Beloit, Wis., which we believe will more than double production capacity for Mo-99 Source Vessels upon equipment installation and FDA approval. Additionally, pending expected FDA approval this year, two state-of-the-art fill lines at our Columbia, Mo. facility will increase the number of weekly Mo-99 Source Vessel shipments we are able to deliver to customers. Finally, I want to recognize the tremendous job our partners at the University of Missouri Research Reactor (MURR®) have done to help ensure that Mo-99/Tc-99m is available for radiopharmacies, healthcare providers, and, most importantly, patients.”

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