Life-saving Molybdenum-99 (Mo-99) isotopes can now be produced at Ontario Power Generation’s (OPG) Darlington Nuclear Generating Station, thanks to the installation and initial commissioning of an innovative isotope system by Laurentis Energy Partners and BWXT Medical Ltd. (NYSE: BWXT).
The production of Mo-99 at Darlington will be a world-first for a commercial power reactor.
With the necessary equipment now installed, the team will continue with planned commissioning and preparation activities for commercial production of Mo-99, pending completion of validation runs and approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Health Canada.
Mo-99 is used to produce Technetium-99 metastable (Tc-99m), one of the most prevalently used diagnostic imaging agents in nuclear medicine, which helps detect illnesses like cancer and heart disease.
Tc-99m is delivered to radiopharmacies and hospitals across North America to make radiopharmaceuticals for patients. This production break-through will help resolve historical shortages of this vital product.
Quick Facts:
● Because of the unique design of Darlington’s CANDU reactors, medical isotopes can be produced without interrupting the generation of clean energy.
● North America has not had a stable domestic supply of Mo-99 since Canada’s National Research Universal reactor ceased production in October 2016. Hospitals have had to rely on imports from Europe, Africa, and Australia.
● Once operational, the arrangement between Laurentis and BWXT Medical will be capable of producing enough Mo-99 to supply a significant portion of the current and future North American demand.
● Historically, Mo-99 has been produced within research reactors using uranium as a starting material. Alternatively, BWXT Medical’s Tc-99m generator will be produced using natural molybdenum targets irradiated at Darlington Nuclear, greatly reducing waste by-products.
● In the future, the newly-installed Target Delivery System (TDS) at Darlington may be used to produce other medical isotopes.
● With the addition of Mo-99, multiple isotopes are now produced at Darlington: Helium-3, Mo-99, and Tritium, with plans underway to produce Cobalt-60 – currently also extracted from reactors at Pickering.
Quotes:
●“Tc-99m is the workhorse isotope for nuclear medicine,” said Dr. David Laidley, Nuclear Medicine Physician at London Health Sciences Centre. “Used in over 80 percent of all nuclear medicine procedures, the availability of this critical isotope will save countless lives.”
●“Ontario is leading the way on the production of medical isotopes, leveraging our world-class nuclear generation stations and supply chain,” said Todd Smith, Ontario’s Minister of Energy. “Production of Molybdenum-99 at Ontario's Darlington Nuclear Generating Station, a world-first for a commercial power reactor, will create a steady global supply of radiopharmaceuticals which help our healthcare system detect illnesses like cancer and heart disease."
●“This is an exciting milestone for all companies involved, but most importantly, for patients in need,” said Ken Hartwick, President and CEO of OPG. “Ontario’s nuclear generating stations have demonstrated for decades their value extends beyond producing reliable, affordable, clean energy. I’m proud of the role our employees and stations play in providing life-saving medical isotopes to the world.”
●“Completing the installation of the TDS at Darlington is a significant milestone for the Laurentis and BWXT team,” said Dr. Jonathan Cirtain, BWXT Medical Ltd. President and Chief Executive Officer. “This partnership leverages Darlington’s industry-leading operational reliability, the expertise of Laurentis and OPG to provide irradiation services, and BWXT’s proprietary neutron capture process and innovative production technology. It has been a collaborative and industry-leading effort.”
●“The installation of the TDS is the result of many years and countless hours of support from everyone involved at Laurentis, BWXT, OPG, and our other project partners,” said Jason Van Wart, President of Laurentis. “The entire team was tireless in their efforts to install this ground-breaking isotope irradiation system to secure a reliable, large-scale supply of a crucial diagnostic isotope that hospitals and patients so desperately need. As we continue to innovate and aspire to be a global leader in isotope production, I look forward to what our team and the industry will accomplish next.”
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About OPG
About BWXT Medical Ltd.
