Skip to main content
EnglishEN
European Commission logo print header

Strengthening the European Chain of sUpply for next generation medical RadionuclidEs

Project description

DEENESFRITPL

Making medical isotopes in Europe safer and more sustainable

Radium-223 is a radioactive isotope – radionuclide – used to treat metastatic cancer. Other radionuclides show promise and could meet future demand, but there are several major challenges to be faced before becoming available. To address these, the EU-funded SECURE project will identify and use existing resources for new radionuclides, especially alpha- and beta-emitting isotopes. It aims to remove crucial barriers to sustainable production and provide guidance and recommendations for fully exploiting alpha and beta particle therapy. In addition, the project will deliver key lessons learnt to deal with problems in upscaling and sustainably producing isotopes.

Objective

SECURE project aims to make a major contribution to the sustainability of medical isotope production and its safe application in Europe. It is focusing on promising developments in the design of irradiation targets, production routes for existing and new isotopes in nuclear therapy and diagnostics. Isotopes critical in the success of nuclear medicine are selected and research activities are identified to address some of the major challenges in securing its future availability, with the objectives:
1. to remove critical barriers along the production of its selected alpha and beta emitting isotopes that restrict a sustainable production,
2. to develop a framework of guidance and recommendations that enables exploring the full clinical potential of alpha and beta particle therapy and its safe application
3. to provide important lessons learned that act as a demonstration case for addressing issues in upscaling and sustained isotope production.
At present, Ra-223 is the only radiopharmaceutical which has been granted marketing authorization to treat adults with prostate cancer. This has paved the way for a wider use of other alpha emitters such as Ac-225 or Bi-213. The expected demand of nuclear medicine for novel alpha emitters and beta- emitters requires re-evaluation of their production methods and inventories of target materials and parent radionuclides.
The ambition of SECURE consortium is to identify and efficiently use the current resources for new radionuclides, in particular for alpha emitters and the relevant beta emitting theranostic radionuclides. The development of alternative technologies for production of such therapeutic radionuclides for improved patient treatment requires multidisciplinary scientific and technological knowledge including physics, chemistry, material science, machining of target materials, chemistry, biology and radiobiology, radiopharmacy and nuclear medicine. All this chain of expertise is present in SECURE consortium.

Fields of science

Keywords

Programme(s)

Topic(s)

Call for proposal

HORIZON-EURATOM-2021-NRT-01

See other projects for this call

Funding Scheme

EURATOM-RIA - EURATOM Research and Innovation Actions

Coordinator

NARODOWE CENTRUM BADAN JADROWYCH
Net EU contribution
€ 296 937,50
Address
ULICA ANDRZEJA SOLTANA 7
05 400 Otwock
Poland

See on map
Activity type
Research Organisations
Links
Total cost
€ 296 937,50

Participants (16)

Partners (1)

Share this page

Download

Last update: 28 October 2022

My Booklet

Permalink: https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101061230

European Union, 2024