ASP Isotopes and Isotopia Sign Agreement to Supply Gadolinium-160 for Terbium-161 Production in Cancer Treatment
Tuesday, June 03, 2025
ASP Isotopes Inc. and Isotopia Molecular Imaging Ltd. have entered into a supply agreement focused on Gadolinium-160 (Gd-160), a vital stable isotope used in the production of Terbium-161 (Tb-161). Tb-161 is a promising medical isotope currently being developed for use in targeted cancer therapies, including prostate cancer and neuroendocrine tumours.
The agreement aims to resolve ongoing supply limitations of Gd-160, which have previously slowed the progress of Tb-161 therapies. Under this partnership, ASP Isotopes will use its proprietary Quantum Enrichment technology to supply enriched Gd-160 to Isotopia, supporting the production of Tb-161 at scale.
The collaboration brings together ASP Isotopes' expertise in isotope enrichment—proven through the company’s work with Ytterbium-176—and Isotopia’s capabilities in manufacturing medical isotopes. Isotopia already produces Lutetium-177 (Lu-177) and has maintained regular Tb-161 production for clinical use over the past two years.
Tb-161 stands out due to its dual therapeutic action, which includes the emission of Auger electrons. These electrons can cause double-strand DNA breaks in tumour cells, allowing for more precise targeting of cancer while reducing harm to healthy tissue. This makes Tb-161 a potential alternative to current radiotherapeutics such as Lu-177 and some alpha-emitting isotopes.
The demand for targeted radiopharmaceuticals is growing rapidly, driven by their ability to deliver radiation directly to tumour sites using specialised molecules. With a reliable source of Gd-160 now in place, Isotopia plans to scale up Tb-161 production. Current manufacturing takes place in Israel, with a second site in Indianapolis, USA, set to begin production soon.
This agreement supports the wider development of advanced cancer treatments and reflects increasing global interest in next-generation radiotherapies.
Source: prnewswire.com
