SK Biopharm announced on the 25th that it has signed a supply contract for the medical isotope 'actinium-225 (Ac-225)' with the Belgian particle accelerator corporation PanTera.
Actinium-225 is a radioactive isotope that emits alpha particles. It is primarily used in radiopharmaceuticals (RPT) for diagnosing or treating diseases by utilizing radiation emitted in the form of alpha particles.
Alpha particle-based RPT has superior lethality against cancer cells compared to existing technologies that use beta particles and has fewer side effects on normal cells. However, there is a limitation in the production capacity of radioactive isotopes that emit alpha particles, making raw material supply challenging.
SK Biopharm announced that through this contract, it has diversified its radioactive isotope supply chain and stabilized the procurement of scarce raw materials. This is the second supply contract, following a contract signed with the American nuclear power corporation TerraPower for actinium-225 in August of last year.
SK Biopharm plans to utilize the actinium-225 secured this time in the development of 'SKL35501 (formerly FL-091)', a preclinical candidate introduced from Full Life Technology.
Lee Dong-Hoon, CEO of SK Biopharm, said, "We have built a stable actinium-225 supply chain necessary for next-generation RPT development and secured core competencies in new drug development," adding, "We will establish stable and long-term growth plans in the RPT market."