Garching / Munich, April 27, 2023 - ITM Isotope Technologies Munich SE (ITM), a leading radiopharmaceutical biotech company, today announced that it has entered into a co-development and exclusive license agreement with the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI), a leading Swiss research institute in the natural and engineering sciences, for the implementation of upscaled manufacturing of a novel therapeutic radionuclide, terbium-161. The partners will combine their respective technologies and expertise in the production of terbium-161 including clinical and commercial use in Targeted Radionuclide Therapy (TRT) for the treatment of cancer. This collaboration significantly expands ITM’s production and development portfolio for medical isotopes in precision oncology.

Terbium-161 has been identified as a very promising therapeutic isotope for TRT1 in cancer based on its outstanding physico-chemical properties. Several preclinical evaluations by Cristina Müller, PhD, Research Group Leader at the PSI, whose lab will contribute to the collaboration demonstrated excellent therapeutic capabilities of this radionuclide. Terbium-161’s potential as a next-generation radioisotope is based on its unique ability to emit both medium-range beta radiation and short-range Auger electrons. PSI Group Leader, Nick van der Meulen, PhD, will combine his expertise with ITM’s to achieve the goal of defining effective large-scale production processes for terbium-161.

“This new collaboration with the PSI strengthens our commitment to patients by enabling ITM to further innovate in TRT with the goal of developing a broad range of theranostic radioisotopes and radiopharmaceuticals to precisely detect and treat various types of cancer. By advancing this novel radioisotope, we diversify ITM’s portfolio and continue operating at the forefront of radiopharmaceutical research, development and supply,” commented Steffen Schuster, CEO of ITM. “We value the Paul Scherrer Institute’s extensive expertise and ground-breaking research with terbium-161 as we work together to investigate its therapeutic potential and establish industrial-scale production processes.”
“ITM is a trailblazer and major player in the rapidly expanding use of radiopharmaceuticals based on the company’s global reach and leadership in supplying medical isotopes while advancing a proprietary pipeline of therapeutics and diagnostics,” commented Prof. Roger Schibli, Head of the Center for Radiopharmaceutical Science at PSI. “The collaboration with ITM enables us to contribute to the improvement of cancer therapy by combining the long-standing research and academic leadership of our scientists with ITM's comprehensive capabilities to provide patients with new treatment options.”

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