Bicycle will use a groundbreaking process developed by United Kingdom National Nuclear Laboratory (UKNNL) to harvest the valuable medical isotope lead-212 from reprocessed uranium which can be used to help tackle some of the hardest-to-treat cancers.
Science and technology secretary Liz Kendall said: ‘Breakthroughs in medical science are giving more cancer patients and their loved ones hope, and this unique partnership could help take that work even further.
‘Turning nuclear material into cutting-edge cancer treatments sounds like science fiction – but thanks to the brilliance of scientists, researchers and doctors, it could be a life-saving reality. Work like this shows exactly why we're determined to support our life sciences innovators to make groundbreaking new treatments possible.'
Bicycle will extract lead-212 with a novel radioisotope generator, developed exclusively for them by medical isotope experts Spectron Rx.
The project followed the £20 million funding announced, last month, for research into lead-212 extraction being conducted by UKNNL and Medicines Discovery Catapult.
Dr Stephen Harden, President of the Royal College of Radiologists, said: ‘We welcome this announcement to produce cutting-edge cancer treatments in the UK so more patients can benefit.
‘Molecular radiotherapy (MRT) is a highly effective treatment that works by delivering radioactive drugs directly to tumours without damaging healthy tissue. Unfortunately, its rollout has been stalled by disruption in the supply of radiopharmaceuticals, which the UK has relied on importing from abroad.
‘Starting to produce these domestically will allow more people to have MRT and live longer, healthier lives. It will also help clinical oncologists tackle rising demand for treating more complex cancers.
‘To improve access to MRT even further, we advise the Government to clarify that it should be treated as a radiotherapy rather than a drug. This would speed up rollout by determining how the treatment is funded, quality assured, and delivered safely.'
