Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) said on the 23rd that it exported the medical radioisotope "zirconium-89 (Zr-89)," developed with its own technology, to C-Ray Therapeutics, a Chinese company specializing in radiopharmaceuticals.
KAERI localized zirconium-89 production technology in 2018 and has steadily supplied it to domestic hospitals, universities, and biotech companies. With this export, the institute has entered the Chinese market following South Africa, Pakistan, and Thailand.
Zirconium-89 is a radioisotope that can visualize a drug's path in real time. It is used to confirm whether a drug actually reaches the cancer site during the development of antibody-protein therapies that bind to cancer cells.
The substance is mainly used in PET (positron emission tomography) scanners at large hospitals and is utilized in a wide range of medical and bio research, including tumor diagnosis, tracking treatment efficacy, verifying immunotherapies, and evaluating nanobio materials.
The zirconium-89 exported this time was produced by the "RFT-30 cyclotron" at KAERI's Advanced Radiation Research Institute. A cyclotron is a particle accelerator that rapidly accelerates protons to strike a target material and is a key device for producing medical radioisotopes.
The research team produced zirconium-89 by colliding protons with yttrium-89, then processed it into a 0.3 mL injectable solution through multiple purification steps. Although the amount is far less than a standard bottle of artificial tears, it is valued at about 6 million won as a high-purity, high-value-added pharmaceutical raw material.
C-Ray Therapeutics is a Chinese specialist company capable of handling the entire process of radiopharmaceuticals, from process development to clinical trials and production. It is known to have a domestic logistics network, which is considered advantageous for future market expansion.
Jeong Byeong-yeop, head of the Advanced Radiation Research Institute, said, "International demand for zirconium-89 is growing rapidly," and added, "With this export to China, we expect KAERI to establish itself as a hub for radioisotope technology in Asia."