France’s Framatome and Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to demonstrate the feasibility of producing non-carrier added lutetium-177 (Lu-177) at South Korea’s Wolsong NPP. Framatome and KHNP will jointly perform this technical assessment at the plant using Framatome’s isotope production technology. This has been successfully implemented on a commercial production level at the Bruce Power NPP in Canada.
Framatome Healthcare, through its Isogen joint venture with Canada's Kinectrics, was involved in an international collaboration with Bruce Power and ITM Isotope Technologies Munic SE to produce lutetium-177 from a commercial nuclear power reactor for the first time in October in 2022 at Bruce unit 7.
Both Wolsong and Bruce Power operate Candu pressurised heavy water reactors. The agreement is similar to the one recently announced by Framatome and Nuclearelectrica in Romania with respect to the Cernavoda NPP, which also operates Candu units.
“We anticipate that commercial nuclear reactors will have an increasing role to play to backup and complement research reactors in the production of cancer-fighting radioisotopes,” said François Gauché, Head of Framatome Healthcare. “This cooperation will support the future supply chain readiness to make lutetium-177 treatments massively accessible across the world.”
Lutetium-177 is a beta-emitting radioisotope used in targeted radionuclide therapy for the treatment of prostate cancer and in multiple promising radiopharmaceutical developments for other cancer indications. The isotope destroys cancer cells while leaving healthy cells unaffected. Framatome’s proprietary isotope production technology enabled the first large-scale commercial production of lutetium-177 in a power reactor in October 2022.
“With this initiative, KHNP stays consistent with its social responsibility commitment, by supporting the development of modern nuclear medicine treatments in South Korea while continuing its contribution to stable energy supply and carbon neutrality.” said Chang Hee-Seung, Executive Vice-President, Quality and Technology Division at KHNP.
Catherine Cornand, Senior Executive Vice President of the Installed Base business unit at Framatome noted that the company has been working with KHNP for decades to support operation of its nuclear fleet. “We are actively engaged in supporting the long-term operation of the Hanul 1&2 plants for which Framatome is the Original Equipment Manufacturer,” she said. “I am very happy to extend our cooperation through this new initiative at the Wolsong nuclear plant.”
Image: Catherine Cornand of Framatome and Chang Hee-Seung of KHNP (centre) with Framatome and KHNP employees following the signing of the MOU (courtesy of Framatome)
