Garching / Munich / Berlin, Germany, January 13, 2025 - ITM Isotope Technologies Munich SE (ITM), a leading radiopharmaceutical biotech company, and Ariceum Therapeutics (Ariceum), a private biotech company developing radiopharmaceutical products for the diagnosis and treatment of certain hard-to-treat cancers, today announced the execution of a supply agreement for non-carrier-added (n.c.a.) Actinium-225 (Ac-225) to support the development of Ariceum's novel targeted radiopharmaceutical therapies (RPT) pipeline, including its lead radiopharmaceutical drug, satoreotide for the treatment of aggressive, hard-to-treat cancers.
Under the terms of the agreement, ITM will supply the therapeutic medical radioisotope, Ac-225, produced by Actineer™ Inc, ITM's joint venture company with Canadian Nuclear Laboratories, for use in Ariceum's Actinium-based pipeline candidates. Actineer is advancing cutting-edge technologies to secure and expand its supply chain and produce industrial-scale quantities of Ac-225 at rapid speed by irradiating Radium-226 (Ra-226) in cyclotrons to meet the growing demand for this promising medical radioisotope on a global scale. Additional details of the supply agreement have not been disclosed.
"We value our partnership with Ariceum which marks a significant step forward in advancing our mission to provide this critical medical radioisotope to the radiopharmaceutical industry,” said Dr. Andrew Cavey, Chief Executive Officer at ITM. "With our extensive experience in the production and supply of Lutetium-177, we are well-equipped to apply that expertise to Actinium-225 via our joint venture, Actineer. Our agreement with Ariceum strengthens our commitment to advancing innovative solutions for cancer treatment and to meeting the needs of our partners and people living with cancer worldwide.”
Ac-225 is a rare medical radioisotope used in RPTs for the treatment of various cancer indications. It emits high-energy alpha particles with a short penetration range in tissue, enabling precise targeting of tumor cells. This unique quality has made Ac-225 an increasingly sought-after resource in the field, with growing demand. Its natural scarcity and manufacturing complexities have contributed to critical shortages that have threatened the development of novel radiopharmaceuticals that have the potential to treat challenging cancer indications.
"Securing a reliable and plentiful supply of n.c.a. Ac-225 is critical to our efforts in developing innovative cancer treatments with our pipeline of novel targeted radiopharmaceuticals,” commented Manfred Rüdiger, Chief Executive Officer at Ariceum Therapeutics. "Our agreement with ITM and its joint venture company Actineer supports our access to valuable resources needed to explore the full potential of Ac-225 in unlocking and advancing new Targeted Alpha Therapy approaches for patients living with difficult-to-treat cancers.”
About ITM Isotope Technologies Munich SE
ITM, a leading radiopharmaceutical biotech company, is dedicated to providing a new generation of radiomolecular precision therapeutics and diagnostics for hard-to-treat tumors. We aim to meet the needs of cancer patients, clinicians and our partners through excellence in development, production and global supply. With improved patient benefit as the driving principle for all we do, ITM advances a broad precision oncology pipeline, including multiple phase III studies, combining the company's high-quality radioisotopes with a range of targeting molecules. By leveraging our two decades of pioneering radiopharma expertise, central industry position, and established global network, ITM strives to provide patients with more effective targeted treatment to improve clinical outcome and quality of life. www.itm-radiopharma.com
About Actineer, Inc.
Actineer™ Inc. is a joint venture company between Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL) and ITM Isotope Technologies Munich SE (ITM) dedicated to advancing Ac-225 technologies, quickly securing supply, and producing industrial-scale quantities of this valuable, rare medical radioisotope for the treatment of cancer. Founded in October 2023, Actineer™ Inc. together with its strong supply chain collaborators seeks to progress Ac-225 development, production, and processing technologies. It has established short-term production capabilities that is expected to lead to significantly boosting international supplies, while working long-term towards the construction of a new Actinium Production Facility (APF) in Canada. The joint venture's mission is to fulfil the unmet global manufacturing and production needs of this coveted radioisotope with significant potential in the fight against cancer.
About Ariceum Therapeutics
Ariceum Therapeutics is a private, clinical stage radiopharmaceutical company focused on the diagnosis and precision treatment of certain neuroendocrine and other aggressive, hard-to-treat cancers. The name Ariceum is an anagram of 'Marie Curie' whose discovery of radium and polonium have been huge contributions to finding treatments for cancer.
Ariceum's lead targeted systemic radiopharmaceutical candidate, 177Lu-satoreotide tetraxetan ("satoreotide”), is an antagonist of the somatostatin type 2 (SSTR2) receptor which is overexpressed in aggressive neuroendocrine tumours (NETs) such as small cell lung cancer (SCLC) or Merkel Cell Carcinoma (MCC), all of which have limited treatment options and poor prognosis. Satoreotide is being developed as a 'theranostic pair' for the combined diagnosis and targeted radionuclide treatment of these tumours. Ariceum is also developing a radiolabelled PARP-inhibitor (ATT001), currently in Phase 1 clinical development under the trial name CITADEL-123. ATT001 was part of the acquisition of Theragnostics Ltd which was closed in June 2023.
Ariceum Therapeutics, launched in 2021, acquired all rights to satoreotide from Ipsen, which has remained a shareholder of the Company. Ariceum is headquartered in Berlin, with operations in Germany, Switzerland, Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Ariceum is led by a highly experienced management team and supported by specialist investors including EQT Life Sciences (formerly LSP), HealthCap, Pureos Bioventures, Andera Partners, and Earlybird Venture Capital. For further information, please visit www.ariceum-therapeutics.com.
CONTACTS:
ITM Contact
Corporate Communications
Kathleen Noonan / Julia Westermeir
Phone: +49 89 329 8986 1500
Email: [email protected]
Investor Relations
Ben Orzelek
Phone: +49 89 329 8986 1009
Email: [email protected]
Ariceum Therapeutics
Manfred Rüdiger, CEO
Email: [email protected]
Optimum Strategic Communications
Zoe Bolt, Charlotte Hepburne-Scott, Elena Bates
Tel: +44 (0) 20 3882 9621
Email: [email protected]
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