Jubilant Radiopharma plans to expand and modernize its manufacturing facility in Kirkland, Quebec, as demand for cardiac PET imaging continues to grow. The project includes additional manufacturing space, upgraded production lines and improvements to laboratory, storage and shipping facilities. The Canadian government is contributing approximately 25% of the total investment through its Strategic Response Fund, part of an effort to strengthen domestic manufacturing of medical products and support growth in the country's life sciences industry.
The expansion is expected to double Jubilant's manufacturing capacity for RUBY-FILL, a rubidium-82 generator and elution system used in cardiac PET imaging. The company said its RUBY-FILL customer base has doubled over the past three years, increasing demand for generators and the manufacturing infrastructure needed to support them. The project will also provide additional capacity for other products in Jubilant's radiopharmaceutical portfolio.
The investment is expected to create and maintain 225 jobs in Quebec and support 35 student co-op placements. Jubilant also intends to expand collaboration with Canadian universities and research institutions as it develops the Kirkland operation into a global center for radiopharmaceutical manufacturing and research.
Cardiac PET is gaining broader use in the evaluation of coronary artery disease, particularly as healthcare providers seek more accurate assessments of myocardial perfusion and blood flow. Compared with conventional SPECT imaging, PET can provide quantitative measurements of myocardial blood flow, offering physicians additional information when evaluating patients with suspected or established cardiovascular disease.
RUBY-FILL produces rubidium-82 from a strontium-82/rubidium-82 generator, allowing imaging centers to perform PET myocardial perfusion studies without operating an on-site cyclotron. Rubidium-82 has a physical half-life of approximately 76 seconds, making generator-based production essential for its clinical use. The system is designed to deliver the isotope at the imaging facility, providing an alternative to radiotracers that must be produced at a cyclotron and transported to the point of care.
As more facilities adopt cardiac PET, generator availability and production reliability become important considerations for imaging providers. The RUBY-FILL system also requires a continuing supply of replacement generators, creating recurring manufacturing demand as Jubilant's installed base grows.
Jubilant Pharmova, the parent company of Jubilant Radiopharma, previously reported that its RUBY-FILL installed base grew 35% during fiscal 2026, compared with 21% in the preceding fiscal year. In its first-quarter fiscal 2027 results, the company reported additional installations and new channel partnerships supporting the product's commercial expansion. The Kirkland investment follows that growth and is intended to provide the manufacturing capacity needed for further market development.
The company has not disclosed the number of additional RUBY-FILL generators it expects to manufacture annually or when the expanded production capacity will become available.
The federal contribution comes as Canada continues to invest in its domestic biomanufacturing and life sciences industries. The country has an established role in the global nuclear medicine supply chain, with capabilities in medical isotope production, radiopharmaceutical manufacturing and nuclear research.
Funding for the Jubilant project will come through the Strategic Response Fund, which supports major industrial investments intended to strengthen Canadian manufacturing, supply chains and research capabilities. The government said the Kirkland expansion would help maintain domestic production capacity while supporting exports to international markets.
The announcement also outlined plans for increased collaboration between Jubilant and Canadian research institutions, including work involving nuclear medicine and artificial intelligence-assisted diagnostics. Specific research projects and development timelines were not announced.
Mélanie Joly, Canada's minister of industry, described the investment as part of the government's effort to support domestic production of essential healthcare products. The expansion will preserve existing jobs, create new employment opportunities and strengthen Canada's position in radiopharmaceutical manufacturing, according to the government.
Since 2020, Canada has committed more than C$2.5 billion (approximately US$1.76 billion) to 43 projects involving biomanufacturing, vaccines and therapeutics. The investments are intended to expand domestic manufacturing capabilities and reduce reliance on international supply chains for critical medical products.
The Kirkland project is one of several manufacturing investments Jubilant has undertaken as it expands its radiopharmaceutical operations. The company operates businesses in diagnostic radiopharmaceuticals, radiopharmacy services and contract manufacturing, with products and development programs serving nuclear medicine providers.
In the United States, Jubilant has announced plans to invest more than $60 million to expand its PET radiopharmacy network, including the addition of six manufacturing locations. Those facilities are intended to increase regional production and distribution capacity for PET radiopharmaceuticals, complementing the company's existing nuclear pharmacy operations.
The investments serve different parts of Jubilant's business. Kirkland will support generator manufacturing and other radiopharmaceutical production activities, while the U.S. PET radiopharmacy expansion is focused on producing and distributing radiotracers closer to imaging providers. Both projects are intended to accommodate growing clinical demand and increase the company's manufacturing reach.
Jubilant has also been expanding its radiopharmaceutical development activities, although the company did not identify which additional products may eventually be manufactured at the expanded Kirkland facility. Any new production activities would be subject to applicable regulatory and manufacturing requirements.
For cardiac PET providers, the planned increase in RUBY-FILL capacity comes as utilization grows and more imaging centers consider adding PET myocardial perfusion studies. Manufacturing availability is one of several factors that can affect adoption, alongside equipment costs, reimbursement, staffing and patient demand.
The Kirkland expansion represents a substantial commitment to that market. With government funding secured and the project announced, attention will turn to construction and implementation timelines, the scale of additional production and how quickly the new capacity can support Jubilant's growing customer base.
