Ac-225-conjugated anti-HER3 antibody (Actinium Pharmaceuticals)

Along with Fusion’s pipeline of radioconjugates, AstraZeneca said the deal will bring new research and development (R&D) expertise and supply chain strengthening. Image credit: Shutterstock/Marlon Trottmann. AstraZeneca has agreed to acquire Fusion Pharmaceuticals for up to $2.4bn as the pharma giant looks to broaden its portfolio of radioconjugates. Canadian biotech Fusion specialises in developing radioconjugates, a type of medicine that delivers radioactive isotopes directly to cancer cells using antibodies, peptides or other molecules. By precisely targeting cancer cells, this treatment approach has advantages over traditional regimens such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy in that it does not damage healthy cells. Radioconjugates have emerged as a “promising modality in cancer treatment over recent years”, AstraZeneca stated in a 19 March press release. The deal for Fusion includes an upfront cash payment of $2bn and a specified regulatory milestone-based payment of $400m. Following the deal, Fusion will become a wholly owned subsidiary of AstraZeneca while continuing its operations in Canada and the US. Fusion’s lead asset is FPI-2265 – a radioconjugate that targets prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA), a protein found in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). The actinium-225-based therapy is currently in a Phase II trial. It works by emitting alpha particles, a cytotoxic payload, to tumours. See Also: NVIDIA doubles down on AI in healthcare with drug discovery deals Bristol Myers Squibb acquires Karuna Therapeutics for $14bn Along with Fusion’s pipeline of radioconjugates, AstraZeneca said the deal will bring new research and development (R&D) expertise and supply chain strengthening. AstraZeneca will face competition in this space from Novartis, which calls its assets in this area ‘radioligands’. Here, the radioisotope is connected to a cell-targeting ligand. One of Novartis’ leading drugs in this space is Pluvicto (lutetium Lu 177 vipivotide tetraxetan), a radioligand approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for prostate cancer. Novartis struggled to keep up with demand for Pluvicto , leading to a temporary drug shortage last year. Pluvicto is estimated to see sales of $4.5bn by 2030, according to GlobalData’s Pharma Intelligence Centre. GlobalData is the parent company of Pharmaceutical Technology. The other radioligand on the market is also from Novartis, called Lutathera (lutetium Lu 177 dotatate), which gained FDA approval for neuroendocrine tumours in 2018. Novartis is eyeing further indications for the therapy. AstraZeneca made $17bn in sales from its oncology products last year, accounting for 37% of FY 2023 revenue . The drugmaker’s move to acquire Fusion is not the only oncology-strengthening move it has made recently. In December 2023, the company acquired Chinese CAR-T biotech Gracell for $1.2bn. The moves are also part of an uptick in M&A activity for AstraZeneca. In the same month as the Gracell acquisition, AstraZeneca purchased RSV vaccine developer Icosavax in a $1.1bn deal. Earlier this month, the big pharma completed a $1bn acquisition for French rare diseases start-up Amolyt. While announcing the Fusion acquisition, AstraZeneca’s oncology R&D executive vice-president Susan Galbraith said: “Together with Fusion, we have an opportunity to accelerate the development of FPI-2265 as a potential new treatment for prostate cancer, and to harness their innovative actinium-based platform to develop radioconjugates as foundational regimens.”

TEMPE, Ariz., Nov. 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Serva Energy's sample measurement of the rare cancer-killing medical isotope Actinium-225 (Ac-225) has been validated by the MIT Nuclear Research Laboratory. It's the latest milestone in Serva's development of commercial quantities of Ac-225 needed for next-generation Targeted Alpha Therapies. Continue Reading "In this new report, some of the best scientists in the world have demonstrated the power of our technology as a cancer treatment," said Ian Horvath, CEO and founder of Serva Energy, a nuclear innovation company working at the intersection of energy and health care solutions. "Producing medical-grade Actinium was never our goal, but it has become a compelling backstory in the evolution of our technology, which is designed to change the way we produce carbon-free energy—making it safer, sustainable, and more efficient." Serva's technology transforms nuclear waste into cancer treatment Post this In June, Serva Energy announced a novel reactor-based method to produce significantly greater amounts of medical-grade Ac-225—marking the first time a commercial entity has used a conventional nuclear reactor to create the ultra-rare isotope. "MIT's confirmation of the successful production of Ac-225 using Serva's innovative process, combined with the initial confirmation performed by the Mayo Clinic, is highly encouraging," said Dr. Ian Horn, Senior Associate Consultant at the Mayo Clinic Rochester. "Plans to quickly optimize and scale up any production of this potentially critical medical isotope will be crucial in establishing a reliable supply of Ac-225." Technology Transforms Nuclear Waste into Cancer Treatment Serva's technology transforms Radium-226 into life-saving Ac-225 and paves the way for dozens of research reactors around the world to collaborate with Serva on increasing Ac-225 production without huge capital investments or delays for construction. "Serva's production method could provide sufficient quantities to serve the anticipated demand for the successful development of a pipeline of Ac-225-based Targeted Alpha Therapy products for widespread clinical use," said Dr. Horn, who specializes in Radiochemistry and Radiopharmaceuticals in the Departments of Nuclear Medicine and Radiology at the Mayo Clinic. "These novel products have a strong potential to positively impact a significant and growing patient population for whom this type of therapy promises to be highly beneficial." Considered waste and highly restricted, Radium-226 has the potential to be transformed into the life-saving drugs of tomorrow, says Horvath, whose work at Serva is at the forefront of a paradigm shift in nuclear processes—one in which nuclear waste serves as a resource, an asset to be harnessed, reducing the amount of waste that needs to be managed. "At Serva, we are creating a whole new way of thinking about nuclear waste by using it as fuel for the reactor," said Horvath. "Nothing needs to be managed or destroyed, as it's all part of the process." Related story: Serva Energy Discovers Highly Promising New Way to Produce Cancer-killing Ac-225 Isotope Media links: New Pathways in Nuclear Medicine A Novel Approach to Treating Cancer Developing Next-Generation Cancer Treatments Serva Energy is a nuclear innovation company revolutionizing the way radioisotopes and nuclear fuels are produced—serving the world critical cancer treatments and a safe carbon-free transition to a clean energy future. Serva fuel technologies aim to transform the state of nuclear power within this decade, making reactors safer and more efficient, while advancing the supply of radioisotopes for health care applications and biomedical research. Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit organization committed to innovation in clinical practice, education, and research, and providing compassion, expertise, and answers to everyone who needs healing. MIT Nuclear Research Laboratory (MIT-NRL) is an interdepartmental center supporting educational training and cutting-edge research in nuclear fission engineering, material science, radiation effects in biology and medicine, neutron physics, geochemistry, and environmental studies. MIT-NRL operates a high performance 6-megawatt nuclear research reactor—the second-largest university research reactor in the United States and the only one located on the campus of a major research university. SOURCE Serva Energy LLC