United Kingdom National Nuclear Laboratory (UKNNL) and Medicines Discovery Catapult (MDC) have received funding from UK Research & Innovation (UKRI) to support development of innovative approaches for new cancer treatments. The funding allows UKNNL and MDC to finalise the case to scale up the harvesting of precision nuclear medicines from the UK’s used nuclear material. An emerging approach, Targeted Alpha Therapy, has the potential to be more targeted, effective and have few side effects.
Of specific interest in the field is Lead-212, which can be extracted from reprocessed uranium. As it decays, with a half-life of around 11 hours, scientists can use its emissions to target and destroy cancer cells without damaging surrounding healthy tissues.
While other countries are already researching and developing these treatments, the UK does not yet have a sustainable pipeline of radiopharmaceuticals to secure access for UK patients. UKNNL and MDC will explore potential options for making the material available to researchers and drug development companies. The long-term aim is to enable commercial production and routine use within the NHS for the benefit of patients and the development of a new community.
UKNNL is enabling the supply of vital radionuclides for the UK. It collaborates with researchers to enable access to radionuclides for investigations into new treatments and diagnosis, including cancer, Alzheimer’s and complex heart conditions. The handling of nuclear material and extraction of radionuclides are key capabilities and skills that UKNNL provides.
MDC is a national Life Sciences service dedicated to turning drug discovery into impactful and commercial breakthroughs. It operates an advanced preclinical facility, including world-class radiochemistry capabilities and a translational suite of imaging technologies, unique within the UK and a major asset in the development and deployment of novel radiopharmaceuticals.
“For decades UKNNL has processed the uranium from our nuclear power plants, constantly developing new techniques and capabilities,” said UKNNL CEO Professor Paul Howarth. The harvesting of Lead-212 requires very specific chemistry and is the key focus of some of the scientists in our laboratory in Preston. To be able to use the skills and techniques that they have developed to save lives is an incredible legacy. This funding will help to clarify how Lead-212 can progress to the next step, to provide life-saving therapies for cancers in patients in the UK and ensure that the next generation of scientists can continue this vital work.”
MDC CEO Professor Chris Molloy, said precision radiopharmaceuticals present a huge opportunity for the UK to lead the world in medicinal radiochemistry. “Creating these new targeted treatments from toxic waste could transform patient outcomes and give the UK back its domestic radiochemical capacity to serve its patients. To do this, we must invest in the infrastructure necessary to produce the materials and run patient trials.”
