Abstract
About 50% of the 1.4 GeV CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research, www.cern.ch) protons are sent onto targets to produce radioactive beams by online mass separation at the Isotope Separator Online Device (ISOLDE) facility, for a wide range of studies in fundamental and applied physics. CERN-MEDICIS is a spin-off dedicated to R&D in life sciences and medical applications. It is located in an extension of the Class A building presently under construction. It will comprise laboratories to receive the irradiated targets from a new station located at the dump position behind the ISOLDE production targets. An increasing range of innovative isotopes will thus progressively become accessible from the start-up of the facility in 2015 onward; for fundamental studies in cancer research, for new imaging and therapy protocols in cell and animal models and for pre-clinical trials, possibly extended to specific early phase clinical studies up to Phase I trials. Five hundred megabecquerel isotope batches purified by electromagnetic mass separation combined with chemical methods will be collected on a weekly basis. A possible future upgrade with gigabecquerel pharmaceutical-grade i.e., current good manufacturing practices (cGMP) batch production capabilities is finally presented.
Highlights
The application of radioisotopes in medicine was proposed shortly after the discovery of radioactivity about a century ago by Prof
As Isotope Separator Online Device (ISOLDE) receives about 50% of all CERN protons, and from these, about 85% traverse the ISOLDE target without any interaction, using a CERN-MEDICIS target adds value to this lost beam, and takes advantage of the fact that a large part of its characteristics remain intact
The experience already gained at ISOLDE during the past 40 years is of utmost importance, and possible future developments are expected to provide production gains
Summary
Together with the important progresses witnessed in inorganic chemistry, molecular biology, accelerators, diagnostics, imaging and nuclear technology, ever more sophisticated, and efficient, radiopharmaceuticals and protocols have been conceived, tested and successfully used by the medical community. This goes along evolving rules in the pharmacopoeia and the precaution required for a safe handling of the radioisotopes for the general public, medical personnel and the environment. It offers more than 1000 different isotope beams of 70 chemical elements; these two figures being in constant progression
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