Curium, a world leader in nuclear medicine, has completed two strategic acquisitions that significantly expand its European footprint and manufacturing capabilities. The company announced the acquisition of Nucleis, a specialist in GMP manufacturing and distribution of PET radiopharmaceutical drugs, and Monrol, a leading nuclear medicine player headquartered in Istanbul, Turkey.
Strengthening PET Manufacturing and Distribution Network
The acquisition of Nucleis, a 2017 spin-off from the University of Liège's Cyclotron Research Center in Belgium, enhances Curium's position in the growing PET diagnostics market. This move adds to Curium's existing network of 32 PET sites in Western Europe, improving reliability and accessibility of critical PET diagnostics for patients across the Benelux region and Germany.
Benoit Woessmer, CEO of Curium EU, emphasized the strategic importance of the acquisition: "We are thrilled to welcome Nucleis into the Curium family. This acquisition is an additional step in expanding our PET footprint and strengthening our capabilities in the European nuclear medicine market. By combining our resources with the Nucleis team, we will further enhance the availability of high-quality PET diagnostics for patients."
The Nucleis acquisition specifically addresses the growing demand for F-18 tracers, reinforcing Curium's supply chain reliability and ensuring consistent delivery of radiopharmaceuticals to healthcare providers. Fabrice Giacomelli, Former CEO of Nucleis, noted: "Joining Curium marks an exciting new chapter for Nucleis. We will benefit from Curium's expertise and infrastructure to accelerate the development and delivery of next-generation PET tracers, benefiting patients and healthcare providers alike."
Expanding Lutetium-177 Capacity with Monrol Acquisition
In a parallel strategic move, Curium has also completed the acquisition of Eczacıbaşı-Monrol Nuclear Products Co. (Monrol), significantly enhancing its manufacturing capacity of Lutetium-177 (Lu-177), a critical isotope for targeted cancer therapies. This acquisition positions Curium as a leading manufacturer of Lu-177, securing supply for the company's pipeline of therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals, including candidates for Prostate Cancer (in development) and Neuroendocrine Tumours (pending approval).
The Monrol acquisition expands Curium's PET footprint from 34 sites in Western Europe and Asia to 46, with the addition of 12 Monrol-owned and partnered sites in Eastern Europe and MENA regions. Furthermore, Monrol's manufacturing and logistics infrastructure in Istanbul immediately adds scale to Curium's vertically integrated production and distribution capabilities.
Enhanced R&D Capabilities and Global Reach
Monrol brings complementary R&D expertise to Curium, strengthening its portfolio and pipeline of innovative theranostic products. Curium plans to deploy Monrol's Ga-68 generator globally in the future, pending regulatory approvals.
Chaitanya Tatineni, Curium's CEO for International Markets, highlighted the transformative nature of these acquisitions: "We are delighted to welcome close to 400 highly-skilled and dedicated new colleagues to Curium Group. The coming together of Curium and Monrol will transform our scale, capabilities and reach across several critical areas, in particular Lu-177, and create multiple new opportunities to enhance our offering of life-changing diagnostic and therapeutic solutions to patients around the world."
Advancing Nuclear Medicine Innovation
Through these acquisitions, Curium aims to accelerate the development of life-changing diagnostics in oncology, neurology, and cardiology. The company will expand production of innovative radiotracers by adding Curium's proprietary tracers to Nucleis' portfolio and strengthening partnerships with CDMO customers.
Aydin Kucuk, General Manager at Monrol, expressed enthusiasm about joining Curium: "We are excited to be joining Curium and have long admired the company's capabilities, leadership and commitment to developing and supplying world-class nuclear diagnostics solutions and therapies. We look forward to working with our new Curium colleagues to build on our joint successes."
Market Impact and Future Outlook
These strategic acquisitions reinforce Curium's position as a global leader in nuclear medicine, currently serving over 14 million patients annually with SPECT, PET, and therapeutic radiopharmaceutical solutions. The expanded manufacturing capacity and distribution network will enable Curium to meet the growing global demand for advanced nuclear medicine diagnostics and therapies.
The name 'Curium' honors the legacy of Marie and Pierre Curie, pioneers in radioactive materials research, after whom the radioactive element curium was named. These acquisitions further emphasize the company's focus on advancing nuclear medicine and ensuring greater accessibility to cutting-edge diagnostics and therapies for patients worldwide.
