Innovation / 20.07.2022
Eckert & Ziegler and PRECIRIX Sign Agreement on Priority Supply of the Therapeutic Radioisotope Actinium-225 (Ac-225)

Eckert & Ziegler (ISIN DE0005659700, SDAX) and the Belgian biotech company PRECIRIX NV (PRECIRIX) have signed an agreement for the supply of Actinium-225. This gives PRECIRIX priority access to Eckert & Ziegler's high-purity, non-carrier-added Actinium-225, which is used for the labeling of trial drugs in radionuclide therapy.

"Until now, clinical research and commercial use of Actinium-225 has been limited by the shortage of this radioisotope. We are therefore pleased to collaborate with PRECIRIX and to be able to supply radiopharmaceutical manufacturers with this promising therapeutic radioisotope," said Dr. Lutz Helmke, member of the Executive Board and Chief Operating Officer for the Medical Segment. "Thanks to our cooperation with the Nuclear Physics Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences (UJF), the first radiochemical-grade production of Actinium-225 is planned for the end of 2023. We expect to subsequently submit a Drug Master File to the FDA (USA) to produce Actinium-225 in cGMP quality.

"Precirix is developing novel precision radiopharmaceuticals using single-domain antibodies to address the high unmet need in the treatment of solid tumors. We aim to unlock the value of both alpha and beta-emitting radionuclides in our broad pipeline of product candidates." explained Ruth Devenyns, Chief Executive Officer of Precirix. "We are particularly pleased to have an experienced radioisotope specialist like Eckert & Ziegler at our side to support our ambitious development plans."

Actinium-225 is used as an active substance in cancer treatment. The radioisotope emits powerful, high-energy alpha beams with short penetration depths that enable precise treatment of tumor cells, including elusive micrometastases, with minimal impact on surrounding healthy tissue. For this purpose, Actinium-225 is combined with a suitable carrier (e.g., an antibody or peptide) that specifically binds to cancer cells, thereby selectively targeting them. Currently, radiopharmaceuticals based on Actinium-225 are being tested in many clinical indications, including prostate tumors, colorectal cancer and leukemia. Experts expect the demand for Actinium-225 to increase exponentially over the next decade.

About Eckert & Ziegler.
Eckert & Ziegler Strahlen- und Medizintechnik AG with more than 900 employees is one of the world's largest providers of isotope-related components for nuclear medicine and radiation therapy. The company offers services for radiopharmaceuticals at its worldwide locations, from early development to commercialization. Eckert & Ziegler shares (ISIN DE0005659700) are listed in the SDAX index of Deutsche Börse.
Contributing to saving lives.

About Precirix

Precirix is a private, clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company founded in 2014 as a spin-off from the VUB, dedicated to extending and improving the lives of cancer patients by designing and developing precision radiopharmaceuticals, using camelid single-domain antibodies labeled with radioisotopes. The company has a broad pipeline with one product candidate in a Phase I/II clinical trial and two in advanced preclinical stage. Research on multiple isotopes, linker technology and combination therapies further expand the platform. Precirix’ technology also allows for a theranostic approach, where patients can be selected using a low dose/imaging version of the product, followed by a therapeutic dose for treatment.

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