CF Tech's technology for purifying radioisotopes allows for better separations with faster and less expensive processing than traditional methods.

Lutetium 177 (177Lu) is a key ingredient in promising cancer treatments for gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors, prostate cancer, and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. The problem is that 177Lu has a short (6.65 day) half-life and current manufacturing processes for high purity 177Lu are complex and time consuming. This includes irradiation of a target followed by complex chemical purification techniques, resulting in significant loss of the product from radioactive decay and other losses. The goal of this project is to develop an improved purification process that can deliver 177Lu faster, at lower costs and with higher efficacy, resulting in a better supply for cancer patients. This is directly related to the US Department of Energy Isotope Program’s mandate to support production of isotopes that are in short supply for research and applications and of strategic importance to the United States. The approach is the application of innovative high-pressure fluids to rapidly isolate the 177Lu. In Phase I, a chemical system was demonstrated to deliver chemical purification which exceeds the industry standard by 30%. A full-scale prototype was built and demonstrated for purification of non-radioactive lutetium. A provisional patent was filed for the technology. In the first year of Phase II, the prototype will be enhanced and automated, and process parameters will be optimized by continued testing with non-radioactive lutetium. In the second year of Phase II, the 177Lu isotope will be generated at full scale via nuclear irradiation at a partnering research institution. The radioactive material will be purified using the prototype, thereby demonstrating the entire production life cycle at full scale from beginning to end. The commercial application will be adoption of this technology by an isotope supplier to deliver a reliable supply of high-purity 177Lu for cancer treatment. Demand for this isotope is increasing rapidly, and improved manufacturing practices will be key to establishing a reliable supply for the United States.