NorthStar Medical Radioisotopes Hosting Expansion Event on Wednesday, February 22, Showcasing Advanced Therapeutic Radioisotope Production Technology

Featuring Remarks by Special Guest Miss America 2023 Grace Stanke, a Wisconsin Native and Nuclear Engineering Student at University of Wisconsin - Madison

NorthStar Medical Radioisotopes:

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230215005114/en/

NorthStar Medical Radioisotopes' Actinium-225 Production facility (Photo: Business Wire)

MEDIA BACKGROUDER

“Cancer Therapy Reimagined - From Belgium to Beloit, Wisconsin”

NorthStar Medical Radioisotopes Event on February 22, 2023

Showcasing First-of-its-Kind, Commercial-scale Production of Rare and Important Therapeutic Radioisotope Actinium-225 (Ac-225) for Wisconsin and the United States

Featuring Remarks by Special Guest Miss America 2023 Grace Stanke, a Wisconsin Native and Nuclear Engineering Student at University of Wisconsin - Madison

NorthStar Medical Radioisotopes is hosting an event, “Cancer Therapy Reimagined - From Belgium to Beloit, Wisconsin,” highlighting the installation of a first-of-its-kind electron beam accelerator for therapeutic radioisotope production at its new, state-of-the-art Ac-225 Production facility expansion in Beloit on Wednesday, February 22, 2023.

Ac-225 is an important therapeutic radioisotope that is in highly limited supply and for which no commercial-scale production currently exists. NorthStar is poised to be the first commercial-scale producer of Ac-225, used to deliver therapeutic doses of radiation to destroy cancer cells in patients with serious disease, while sparing healthy tissue. Production of Ac-225 at NorthStar’s new facility will advance large-scale availability of non-carrier added (n.c.a.) Ac-225, for use in treating patients with cancer and other serious disease. The installation is a milestone event in construction progress and Stephen Merrick, Chief Executive Officer, additional NorthStar executives and Miss America 2023 Grace Stanke will make remarks to note the occasion.

From Belgium to Beloit - the electron beam accelerator

A custom-built, 24-ton Rhodotron®TT 300-HE (High Energy) electron beam accelerator will be hoisted by crane and installed into NorthStar’s new Accelerator Production facility.

• The 10’ diameter x 11’ high accelerator weighs 48,000 pounds, or the weight of four African bush elephants.
• The electron accelerator was custom-built in Belgium for NorthStar by IBA (Ion Beam Applications S.A., EURONEXT).
• The accelerator began its 5,700 mile journey in Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium and was transported via truck to Antwerp. It travelled on a container ship to Norfolk, Virginia where, after clearing U.S. Customs, it was loaded onto an oversized flatbed truck to travel from Norfolk to Beloit. It will arrive in Beloit on February 22.
• Upon arrival, the accelerator will be unpacked, placed onto rigging equipment and hoisted for placement and installation in the brand new, state-of-the-art Ac-225 Production facility. NorthStar anticipates installation and testing of the accelerator to begin thereafter, with initial production of radiochemical grade Ac-225 planned for early 2024, and a Drug Master File to be submitted soon thereafter, which, upon acceptance by the U.S. FDA, will allow NorthStar to produce Ac-225 for commercial use.

Ac-225 is a critically important and rare therapeutic medical radioisotope

Ac-225 is a high energy alpha-emitting radioisotope of emerging interest by the medical community for use in clinical studies using targeted radiopharmaceutical therapy (RPT). RPT combines select molecules with therapeutic radioisotopes, such as Ac-225, to directly target and deliver therapeutic doses of radiation to destroy cancer cells in patients with serious disease. Ac-225 carries sufficient radiation to cause cell death in a localized area, while minimizing undesired dose to adjacent, healthy tissue in patients.

Clinical research and commercial use of Ac-225 are severely constrained by chronic short supply due to limitations of current production technologies. NorthStar’s electron accelerator technology will produce high purity, non-carrier-added (n.c.a.) Ac-225, free of long-lived radioactive byproducts associated with other production methods, which pose regulatory and waste management challenges for hospitals, health systems and other associated healthcare institutions. NorthStar is positioned to be the first commercial-scale producer of the therapeutic radioisotopes Ac-225 and copper-67 (Cu-67) by applying its production technology expertise to provide reliable supply for advancing clinical research and supplying commercial radiopharmaceutical products.

Advantages of electron beam accelerator radioisotope production

The electron beam accelerator production process is one of the most effective methods of producing medical radioisotopes such as Ac-225. This highly efficient, non-uranium based, environmentally preferable process provides scalable, flexible production capacity for clinical trials and, once approved by appropriate regulators, for commercial use.

A focus on Wisconsin

Beloit-based NorthStar Medical Radioisotopes is at the forefront of radioisotope production for the United States as the only commercialized U.S. producer of the important medical radioisotope molybdenum-99 (Mo-99). This new Ac-225 Production facility in Beloit is part of NorthStar’s strategic expansion plan to fill an unmet medical need for commercial-scale availability of the therapeutic radioisotope Ac-225 to meet patients’ healthcare needs.

NorthStar is proud to help showcase Wisconsin as a pioneer and leader in technology innovation and sustainable radioisotope production. A growing company with more than 300 highly-skilled employees in Beloit and Madison, NorthStar is a responsible corporate citizen and engaged community member.

Local contractors for the Ac-225 Production facility

Rigging and installation of the accelerator into the new Ac-225 Production facility are being managed by IBA and Reynolds Rigging and Crane of Madison under the direction of NorthStar. Construction of the Ac-225 Production facility is being led by Corporate Contractors Inc. of Beloit, and sub-contractors RH Batterman of Beloit, 1901 Inc., of Madison and Morse Electric Inc., of Las Vegas, Nevada, Beloit and Freeport, Illinois.

For more information about NorthStar Medical Radioisotopes, visit: www.northstarnm.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230215005114/en/