June 13, 2009 - Lantheus will be the first company to be able to offer Technetium-99 (Tc99m) derived from LEU to the U.S. market.
The company says it is committed to ensuring reliable supply and global access to Tc99m, the medical isotope used in approximately 80 percent of all nuclear medicine procedures. Lantheus, together with ANSTO, is working closely with the FDA and Health Canada to achieve the necessary LEU Mo-99 approvals for the U.S. and Canadian markets.
Low enriched uranium (LEU) is a new and safer option for Mo-99 suppliers that cannot be used in nuclear weapons, therefore eliminating the risk of terrorism threats to LEU reactors.
Lantheus’ arrangement with ANSTO emphasizes Lantheus’ ongoing commitment to investing in a supply chain diversification
strategy and providing new solutions to addressing the limited and fragile global Mo-99 supply chain, as evidenced by the current
NRU reactor shutdown in Canada. Without adequate supply of Mo-99, crucial imaging tests that can diagnose life-threatening
conditions such as heart disease and cancer must be canceled or postponed. This arrangement marks another step in Lantheus’
supply chain diversification strategy. In May 2009, Lantheus signed an agreement with NTP Radioisotopes (Pty) Ltd., a subsidiary
of the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (NECSA), to manufacture and supply Lantheus with an ongoing volume of
Mo-99.
With only a few global suppliers of Mo-99, aging reactors will continue to need more frequent maintenance and repairs. In addition, as the healthcare industry faces an aging population, and the demand for diagnostic services continues to rise, the need for a consistent, reliable supply of Mo-99 has become increasingly critical.
For more information: www.lantheus.com
July 25, 2024 
