New optimism regarding the supply of Moly-99
Supplies of molybdenum-99 (Mo-99) are secure and reliable, according
to an expert panel at the June meeting in Denver of the Society of Nuclear
Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI).
During the SNMMI annual meeting in Denver, Colorado, USA, in June 2017, a panel
moderated by SNMMI President Sally Schwarz, professor of radiology at the
Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology at the Washington University School of
Medicine in St. Louis, discussed the global Mo-99 supply situation. Panelists included
Jayne Senior, general manager of ANSTO Nuclear Medicine; Frank de Lange, vice
president, Manufacturing, Petten and managing director of Curium; Jean-Michel
Vanderhofstadt, CEO of the Institute for Radio Elements (IRE); and Piet Louw,
executive manager of NTP Radioisotopes.
“It’s clear that the world’s Mo-99 producers have collaboratively used
innovation, technology and careful planning to increase capacity and safeguard
supplies of this critical medical isotope,” said Schwarz.
Some of the steps taken to secure the supply of Mo-99 have included:
1. Increased capacity by existing Mo-99 producers through “significant”
investments and improvements. This includes steps taken to boost supply to
cover planned and unplanned demand spikes, and to replace lost capacity
anticipated from the closing of Mo-99 production at the NRU and OSIRIS research
reactors.
2. Maintenance and investments by major producers for “extra target irradiation
positions with their reactor partners (known as Outage Reserve Capacity) to
continue to provide supply during an unexpected shutdown.” Producers pay for
target irradiation space – used or not.
3. Global cooperation. The Association of Imaging Producers and Equipment
Suppliers (AIPES) is cooperating around the world to manage an international
scheduling of Mo-99-producing reactors, to ensure “adequate target irradiation
capacity and minimize supply risks.” The group includes major international
Mo-99 producers who meet during the year to make sure that the supply of Mo-99
and hence Tc-99m is secure going forward.
Read more at: https://www.dotmed.com/news/story/38050
Source: DOTmed