Alternative Molybdenum Source Could Surmount Isotope Shortage

New technology for manufacturing molybdenum-99 (⁹⁹Mo) without the need for a nuclear reactor could help break through the medical isotope bottleneck.

Developed by SHINE Medical Technologies (SHINE; Monona, WI, USA), the alternative production method involves bombarding a low enriched uranium (LEU) uranyl sulfate solution with fast neutrons generated by a linear accelerator at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL; Lemont, IL, USA). The LEU then breaks down into hundreds of different isotopes, including ⁹⁹Mo, which consists of 6% of the fissions created during the process. The ⁹⁹Mo, which has a half-life of 2.75 days, must then be separated from the other fission products before it can be transported for use.

The half life of ⁹⁹Mo is long compared to that of its daughter isotope, the radioactive tracer element technetium-99m (^99mTc), which is created when ⁹⁹Mo spontaneously decays through the release of a beta particle from its nucleus. The ^99mTc, whose half-life is just six hours, is crucial for the sodium pertechnetate tracer produced using the GE Healthcare (GE, Little Chalfont, United Kingdom) Drytec generator. GE tested the new method by preparing two ^99mTc-based radiopharmaceuticals, indicating the feasibility of the production method.

“We have been confident from the beginning that molybdenum-99 produced by our process would be compatible with existing technetium-99m generators, and now we’ve proved it,” said Greg Piefer, CEO of SHINE. “This demonstration validates that the cleaner, safer technical approach we’ve been pursuing can be fully integrated into the existing supply chain. I would like to thank GE and Argonne National Laboratory for making this test possible.”

“Our customers—clinics, hospitals and imaging specialists—rely on a secure supply of technetium-99m from molybdenum-99 to make sure that they can conduct important diagnostic imaging scans their patients need,” said Jan Makela, general manager of core imaging for GE Healthcare. “We are working hard to make this key isotope readily available and cost-effective for them.”

Because of its unstable nature, ⁹⁹Mo does not occur naturally and is traditionally produced using highly enriched uranium (HEU) in research reactors. ⁹⁹Mo is also not produced in the United States, leaving the country to rely on isotopes from other countries. SHINE is expected to begin commercial production in 2019 using this new process, and expects to be able to produce enough ⁹⁹Mo to supply two-thirds of the demand of the United States.

Related Links:
SHINE Medical Technologies
Argonne National Laboratory
GE Healthcare