, a joint venture
that will provide and support isotope production systems for Bruce Power’s
nuclear reactors in Canada to begin the production of Lutetium-177, a medical
isotope that is used for a variety of lifesaving cancer treatments.
“Partnering with Kinectrics to launch Isogen
marks our commitment to advance isotope development as we continue to work with
the team at Bruce Power in the fight against cancer,” said Bernard Fontana, CEO
at Framatome. “Together, we are working with Bruce Power to maximize existing infrastructure,
already known for producing reliable, low-carbon electricity, and making
important, lifesaving medical treatments available to patients around the
world.”
“We are proud to have established a new
Ontario-based company, Isogen, with our partner, Framatome,” said David Harris,
Kinectrics president and CEO. “Together, we will work with Bruce Power to
produce lifesaving medical isotopes, specifically Lutetium-177, which will help
to advance the global fight against cancer.”
Isogen has partnered with Bruce Power to leverage the scale, redundancy
and longevity of the eight-unit facility to anchor a new, global supply of isotopes. Following regulatory
and other approvals, the plan will be to begin isotope production in 2022 with
the goal of scaling based on demands for Lutetium-177 and other isotopes.
“As home to Ontario’s largest private-sector infrastructure project, we
are not only extending our assets to provide low-cost, clean electricity for
our families and business, but are also ensuring that we are playing a
leadership role in providing the global health community with access to isotopes
that are critical to a modern health care system and in the fight against cancer,”
said Michael Rencheck, president and CEO of Bruce Power.
Lutetium-177 is a medical isotope that is used
in targeted radionuclide therapy for the treatment of a growing number of
cancers such as prostate cancer, neuroendocrine tumors and bone metastases. The
isotope destroys cancer cells while leaving healthy cells unaffected.
Lutetium-177 is
produced by exposing Ytterbium-176 to radiation. The Ytterbium-176 source
material is sealed in special containers and placed in an isotope production
system in one of the Bruce Power reactors for about two weeks. The resulting
containers of Lutetium-177 are sent for processing and distribution to health
care facilities worldwide.
Isogen will design, supply
and support the licensing of the isotope production system to support
large-scale production of Lutetium-177 starting in 2022.
Isotopen Technologien
München (ITM), a specialized radiopharmaceutical company, will deliver the
Ytterbium-176 to the Bruce Power site. Isogen will be responsible for handling
and preparing the source material according to ITM requirements.
About Framatome
Framatome is an
international leader in nuclear energy recognized for its innovative solutions
and value added technologies for the global nuclear fleet. With worldwide
expertise and a proven track record for reliability and performance, the
company designs, services and installs components, fuel, and instrumentation
and control systems for nuclear power plants. Its more than 14,000 employees
work every day to help Framatome’s customers supply ever cleaner, safer and
more economical low-carbon energy. Visit us at:
www.framatome.com and follow us on
Twitter: Framatome and
LinkedIn: Framatome. Framatome is owned by the EDF Group (75.5%),
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI – 19.5%) and Assystem (5%).
About Kinectrics
Kinectrics is the category
leader in providing life cycle management services for the electricity
industry. Trusted by clients worldwide, our expertise in engineering, testing,
inspection, and certification is backed by our independent laboratory and
testing facilities, a diverse fleet of field inspection equipment and an
award-winning team of over 1,000 engineers and technical experts. From initial
design and type testing to operational deployment and maintenance services,
Kinectrics collaborates closely with customers to ensure that utility assets
perform safely, reliably and efficiently throughout their entire life cycle.
Learn more at www.kinectrics.com and follow us
on LinkedIn, Twitter,
and YouTube.