Partners mark two years of Lu-177 production at Bruce 7

Monday, 28 October 2024

The 24 months since commercial production of the medical isotope began at the Candu unit have seen Bruce Power and its partners expand production capabilities to match growing global demand.

(Image: Bruce Power)

In October 2022, Bruce Power became the first commercial nuclear operator to produce lutetium-177 (Lu-177), used in targeted radionuclide therapy to treat cancers like neuroendocrine tumours and prostate cancer, in an international collaboration with Saugeen Ojibway Nation (SON), Isogen (a Kinectrics and Framatome company) and ITM Isotope Technologies Munich SE (ITM).

The partnership uses an innovative Isotope Production System (IPS) installed in Bruce 7 to irradiate ytterbium-176 to produce Lu-177. The isotope is then transported to ITM's manufacturing facility in Germany for processing of pharmaceutical-grade, non-carrier-added Lu-177. Operations at Bruce 7 have been reliable and stable, and no shipments of the isotope to ITM have been missed since the start of commercial production.

The past two years have seen the partners expand capacity to match rapidly increasing global demand for the isotope, through system innovations in 2023 and the introduction of a second production line this year.

SON and Bruce Power set up the Gamzook'aamin aakoziwin partnership - it translates to Fighting Cancer Together  - in 2019, to jointly market new medical isotopes while creating new economic opportunities within the SON territory by establishing new isotope infrastructure. Their partnership has expanded in step with the increasing output of the IPS.

"SON is proud to play a role in the fight against cancer and looks forward to continuing our success in the years to come," said Chief Conrad Ritchie, Chippewas of Saugeen First Nation.

"Isotopes are an essential part of health care, and the cancer-fighting isotopes produced through our Gamzook'aamin aakoziwin partnership with Bruce Power are opening doors for researchers and doctors to provide patients with cutting-edge tools in the fight against cancer," said Chief Greg Nadjiwon, Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation.  "Today, we celebrate two years of commercial isotope production, playing a leadership role in the global fight against cancer while also helping build economic opportunities for our Territory, people and communities."