IBA and Framatome form Ekalia for At-211 production

On Friday, Framatome and Ion Beam Applications announced the next step in their plan to advance the industrial-scale production of astatine-211 in Europe and the United States. The partners have formed a jointly owned company, Ekalia, through which they will deploy a network of At-211 production sites close to customers.

According to IBA, the first production site is planned in Nantes, France, and Ekalia expects to invest €30 million (about $33.6 million) in it. The permit application has been submitted, the start of construction is anticipated in early 2027, and the site is expected to become operational in 2028. A second pilot site is planned in the United States, though the location and timing have yet to be confirmed.

The isotope: At-211 is a promising radioactive isotope for cancer treatment. As an alpha emitter, it can deliver highly concentrated radiation over a very short distance, targeting cancer cells while minimizing exposure to healthy tissue.

Its approximately seven-hour half-life is favorable for its clinical application, but it must be produced close enough to clinical facilities to keep transportation time short. Ekalia plans to achieve this by producing and distributing the radioisotope through a network of production centers rather than at a single centralized facility.

IBA will make an in-kind contribution to Ekalia of its cyclotron and isotope production technologies. Framatome will contribute its nuclear industrial expertise, which includes experience enabling the large-scale commercial production of lutetium-177.

They said it: "By combining our technological leadership with Framatome's industrial expertise, we are creating the conditions required to make astatine-211 available at scale and support the rise of new cancer therapies," said Catherine Vandenborre, chief corporate and ventures officer of IBA.

"Future targeted therapies require reliable, scalable, and resilient supply chains. By joining forces with IBA, we are beginning the development of an international network for industrial astatine-211 production capable of sustainably supporting the growth of this market and the development of innovative treatments for the benefit of patients," said François Gauché, vice president of Framatome Healthcare.