(Finance) – The complementary use of different methods to produce radiopharmaceuticals for the diagnostic of different pathologies, including oncological ones, could satisfy about half of the national needs and make our country independent of the external supply. To highlight it is one study conducted by Enea and published in Nature, which analyzes three different methodologies to produce an element such as Molybdenum-99 (99th), essential in nuclear medicine for the diagnostics of tumors.
“The results of the research shows that the use of three different methodologies can help create solid and resilient radiopharmaceutical production chains composed of compact and modular plants spread in the area, able to be faced with the scarcity manifested after the closure of the Canadian fission reactor, one of the main manufacturers worldwide, but also to make our country resilient towards unexpected global events, such as the pandemics, which can create sudden needs and critical issues in the supply chain “, highlight the Researchers Enea of the Nuclear Department, Antonino Pietropaolo and Marco PareGogniwho signed the study on Nature together with Lina Quintieri of the Science and Technology Facilities Council (UK).
The three production methods studied are: through cyclotron, i.e. particles accelerators, capable of directly producing the Tecnzio-99m; It is an already available technology, suitable for spread production in the area and within hospitals; with linear accelerators of electrons (E-Linac), a methodology in the study phase to produce molybdenum, which could be implemented in a sustainable and modular way; via melting neutrons; In practice, through deuter-rice reactions, neutrons are obtained which by interacting produce molybdenum-99. The latter option was more efficient than the other two also thanks to the patents and studies conducted by Enea.
In the latter direction the Sorgentina project, which concerns the design of a 14 mev neutron source prototype[3] under construction at the ENEA Center of Brasimone (Bologna) For the industrial production of molybdenum and other diagnostic, therapeutic and teranostic radioisotopes: it is made up of a source of neutron, that is, a deute/trizio ions accelerator, and a rotating target, already made, where the merger reactions take place.
The aim of the project is to contribute to the production of radionuclides to satisfy part of the national needs and create highly specialized jobs. In addition, in the activities, Enea has also patented a device capable of increasing the rendering of the production process of radioisotopes.
“The approach proposed in the study is based on the synergy between cyclotron, linear accelerators of electrons and sources of melting neutrons, is inspired by principles of sustainability, complementarity, modularity and proximity, as parts of a resilient network conceived to ensure the supply of 99th on a local scale, capable of covering about 50% of the national needs – underline the i researchers -. The idea of having all the technological solutions present is strategic given that each type of source can produce Molybdenum-99, Tecnzio-99m but also other important radioisotopes, in order to increase the types of radioisotopes available for the nuclear medicine chain “.