The University of Osaka and Sumitomo Heavy Industries Establish Joint Research Division for the Social Implementation of Astatine-Based Targeted Alpha Therapy Toward the[...]

January 19, 2026

Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Ltd. (Head office: Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director, President and CEO: Toshiro Watanabe; hereinafter referred to as "SHI"), in collaboration with the University of Osaka (main campus: Suita City, Osaka; President: Atsushi Kumanogoh), has established a Joint Research Division for the Social Implementation of Astatine-Based Targeted Alpha Therapy (hereinafter referred to as the "Joint Research Division") at the TAT Cyclotron Building of the Research Center for Nuclear Physics, the University of Osaka.

Targeted alpha-particle nuclear medicine therapy which uses a radioactive isotope At-211(atomic number 85; half-life: 7.2 hours) has attracted attention as a novel treatment modality capable of selectively targeting cancer cells. The Joint Research Division aims to establish the technological foundation and quality standards required for the stable, high-quality production and supply of At-211 as an active pharmaceutical ingredient.
Based on the outcome of the research and development conducted by the Joint Research Division established at the TAT Cyclotron Building of the Research Center for Nuclear Physics at the University of Osaka, SHI will be responsible for supplying the market while collaborating closely with industry, academia, and the government to develop a sustainable framework for social implementation. This framework will support the practical application and broader adoption of novel At-211-based alpha-particle nuclear medicine therapy.

*Portions of the system were developed with support from the Corporate Technology Management Group as part of the Frontier Development Project.

Supplementary Notes - Targeted Alpha-Particle Nuclear Medicine Therapy and Astatine-211 (At-211) -
Targeted alpha-particle nuclear medicine therapy is a treatment modality in which alpha-emitting radionuclides are conjugated to agents that selectively accumulate in cancer cells and administered systemically, enabling highly efficient eradication of cancer cells throughout the body while minimizing effects on normal tissues. Because alpha particles have a short range and high linear energy transfer (LET), alpha-particle-based therapies are expected to demonstrate greater therapeutic potential against refractory tumors and micrometastases compared with treatments using beta-emitting radionuclides such as lutetium-177 (Lu-177) and iodine-131 (I-131).
At-211 is one of the radionuclides suitable for this treatment. At-211 is a halogen element and can be reliably produced using a cyclotron with bismuth-209 (Bi-209) as the target material. Another important feature is that At-211 undergoes a single alpha decay to a stable nuclide, thereby reducing concerns related to in-vivo migration of decay products and associated side effects.
Furthermore, because At-211 is a halogen element, it can be directly chemically conjugated to small molecules, peptides, and antibody fragments, enabling a wide range of applications that leverage established radiopharmaceutical design frameworks. Owing to these characteristics, At-211 has attracted growing attention in Japan and internationally as a key radionuclide for next-generation targeted alpha-particle nuclear medicine therapy, offering a combination of manufacturing feasibility, flexibility in radiopharmaceutical design, safety, and strong therapeutic potential.