Utah-based isotope manufacturer Nusano has announced two major supply agreements that could significantly alleviate the critical shortage of medical radioisotopes plaguing the radiopharmaceutical industry. The company has entered into long-term partnerships with Ratio Therapeutics and Clarity Pharmaceuticals to provide essential isotopes for next-generation cancer diagnostics and therapeutics.
Addressing Critical Supply Chain Bottlenecks
The agreements come at a crucial time when limited supply and high costs of radioisotopes have created significant constraints on clinical use. "Limited supply and high costs of Cu-64 have put significant constraints on its clinical use," said Jack Hoppin, Ph.D., Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Ratio Therapeutics. "By accessing Nusano's production capabilities, we're removing a critical bottleneck and enabling broader adoption across the field."
Nusano's proprietary accelerator-based technology platform is capable of generating more than 40 different isotopes for medical and industrial applications. The company's upcoming 190,000-square-foot facility in West Valley City, Utah, is expected to go live in 2025, with isotope shipments starting in early 2026.
High-Volume Production Capabilities
The scale of Nusano's production capabilities represents a significant advancement in radioisotope manufacturing. The company's high-throughput manufacturing system can produce more than 1,000 curies (37,000 GBq) of copper-64 per day—enough to meet demand for over 18,000 patient doses daily. This production capacity far exceeds current market availability and addresses the geographic limitations of shorter-lived isotopes.
"We're seeing strong, sustained growth in the use of Cu-64 for PET imaging and rapidly increasing interest in isotopes such as Ac-225 for targeted cancer treatments," said Chris Lowe, Chief Executive Officer of Nusano. "By collaborating with forward-thinking radiopharmaceutical companies like Ratio, we're working to meet current clinical needs and support the development of next-generation radiopharmaceuticals."
Strategic Partnerships Drive Clinical Advancement
Ratio Therapeutics Agreement
The multi-isotope supply agreement with Ratio Therapeutics provides access to copper-64 for PET imaging diagnostics, as well as lutetium-177 and actinium-225 for therapeutic applications. This partnership directly supports Ratio's clinical pipeline, including a FAP-targeted radiotherapy for soft tissue sarcoma that is expected to enter clinical trials this year.
The close proximity of Ratio's new manufacturing facility in Utah, just miles from Nusano's operations, will streamline logistics involved in scale-up and delivery. Ratio is leveraging its proprietary Trillium™ platform to design highly selective, targeted radiotherapeutics for cancer treatment.
Clarity Pharmaceuticals Partnership
The commercial supply agreement with Clarity Pharmaceuticals focuses on large-scale copper-64 production for the company's lead diagnostic, SAR-bisPSMA, a copper-64-based PET imaging agent targeting prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) in men with prostate cancer.
"This locks in a cost-effective and abundant U.S. supply of copper-64," said Dr. Alan Taylor, Executive Chairperson of Clarity. "With late-stage trials progressing, we're now ready for commercial rollout at scale—not just in theory, but in practice."
The three-year agreement with automatic renewal provisions supports Clarity's commercial rollout strategy, particularly as the company has already received three FDA Fast Track designations for SAR-bisPSMA and is positioned to submit New Drug Applications.
Technical Advantages of Copper-64
Copper-64's 12.7-hour half-life offers significant advantages over shorter-lived isotopes like fluorine-18 or gallium-68. This extended half-life enables centralized production and same-day delivery to imaging sites while minimizing long-term radiation exposure. The isotope's dual properties—emitting positrons for imaging and having beta-emitting capabilities—make it particularly suitable for theranostic applications that combine diagnosis and therapy.
Expanding Isotope Portfolio
Beyond copper-64, Nusano is advancing domestic production of nickel-64, copper-67, and actinium-225—all isotopes used in Clarity's theranostic pipeline. The company's broader platform will eventually support the production of over 25 medical isotopes for diagnostics and therapy, positioning it as a comprehensive solution for the radiopharmaceutical industry's supply challenges.
The agreements reflect the shared vision of accelerating innovation in the radiopharmaceutical field as demand for diagnostic and therapeutic isotopes continues to grow, with both partnerships designed to support current clinical needs while enabling the development of next-generation radiopharmaceuticals.
