I-131 mIBG radioactive drug (Image courtesy of the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute)
SEOUL, May 28 (Korea Bizwire) – A growing number of pharmaceutical and biotech companies are looking to radioactive drugs as a new growth driver, useful for both diagnosing and treating cancer.
Radioactive drugs combine a radioactive isotope that emits radiation with a chemical compound designed to target specific cancer cells. This unique combination allows these drugs to be utilized for disease diagnosis as well as treatment.
According to industry sources, SK Biopharmaceuticals recently announced plans to collaborate with the Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences (KIRAMS) to manufacture and supply key materials for radioactive drug therapies.
Last September, SK Biopharmaceuticals signed a memorandum of understanding with KIRAMS to jointly research and clinically develop new drugs utilizing Actinium-225 (Ac-225), a critical raw material for radioactive therapies.
Furthermore, SK Biopharmaceuticals stated its intention to secure a stable supply of radioisotopes by cooperating with TerraPower, a U.S. nuclear company invested in by the SK Group.
An industry official said the company plans to unveil a detailed roadmap for radioactive drug therapies in the second half of this year.
Future Chemical, a developer of radioactive drugs, has also stepped up efforts to establish its competitiveness in this field. The company recently announced that its prostate cancer therapy candidate FC705 met the primary endpoint in a U.S. Phase 1 clinical trial.
FC705 is a radioactive drug therapy that targets a protein specifically expressed in prostate cancer cells. Future Chemical is currently conducting a U.S. Phase 2a trial and a domestic Phase 2 study for this therapy while also negotiating technology transfer agreements with China.
The utilization of radioactive drugs for disease diagnosis is also prevalent. DuChemBio focuses on developing radioactive drugs used for diagnosing brain diseases and tumors.
Specifically, the company has commercialized FP-CIT for Parkinson’s disease diagnosis, FES for breast cancer diagnosis, and FACBC for prostate cancer diagnosis. Additionally, DuChemBio is conducting clinical trials for radioactive drugs used to diagnose Alzheimer’s, progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), and aims to commercialize these products within three years.
In line with this trend, some hospitals have established specialized centers utilizing radioactive drugs. Last October, Asan Medical Center in Seoul opened a theranostics center dedicated to researching the use of radioactive drugs for cancer diagnosis and treatment while also conducting clinical trials on cancer patients. Theranostics is a portmanteau of ‘therapy’ and ‘diagnostics.’
Ashley Song (ashley@koreabizwire.com)
