Framatome To Study Medical Radioisotopes Production At Argentinian NPPs

Framatome (ENS Corporate Member) and Nucleoeléctrica Argentina have signed an agreement to conduct a pre-feasibility study on installing systems for producing short-lived radioisotopes, such as Lutetium-177, at the nuclear power plants operated by the Argentine company: Atucha I, Atucha II, and Embalse.

The study is expected to take a year and will be completed in two stages, evaluating both the technical and economic feasibility of producing Lutetium-177, a medical isotope used for a variety of lifesaving cancer treatments.

Indeed, Lu-177 is currently used in hospitals to treat neuroendocrine tumours. Neuroendocrine cells are found primarily in the organs of the digestive system, including the stomach, pancreas and intestines.

Among other things, lutetium-177 is a very promising radioisotope used in the fight against prostate cancer and dozens of other applications in the near future.

Furthermore, the need for lutetium-177 is expected to grow exponentially: from 16,000 patients in 2020 to 138,000 patients in 2026.

Framatome has been working with Nucleoeléctrica Argentina for decades to support the safe, reliable and sustainable operation of the Atucha I and II and Embalse nuclear reactors. Nuclear technologies play a crucial role in modern healthcare and we are delighted to extend our cooperation with Nucleoeléctrica Argentina through this worthy initiative.”

said François Gauché, Vice President of Framatome Healthcare.

By using Framatome’s technology, the Bruce-7 unit in Canada, operating a CANDU reactor, is already commercially producing Lutetium-177, while a similar project for the same technology is underway at Cernavoda NPP,  in Romania.

Argentina’s nuclear sector has extensive experience in the commercial production of radioisotopes at nuclear power plants. For decades, the Embalse Nuclear Power Plant has been producing Cobalt-60, an element used in medicine and industry worldwide.

Read the full Framatome Press Release.

Nuclear medicine and medical isotopes benefit thousands of patients every day in current clinical practice and have great potential for future clinical challenges.

Last year, ENS, together with Euratom Supply Agency (ENS Member), organised the event Beating Cancer – turning the tide with medical isotopes, which gave us the opportunity to learn more about those amazing developments and to discuss the challenges ahead.

You can find its recording and all materials in our Special Newsletter.