Isotope Production System Begins Commercial Production

ONTARIO, CANADA, and MUNICH, GERMANY, October 24, 2022 – An international collaboration between Bruce Power, Isogen (a Kinectrics and Framatome company) and ITM Isotope Technologies Munich SE (ITM), announced today the commencement of commercial production of lutetium-177.   

The announcement was celebrated at ITM’s headquarters in Munich, Germany, along with representatives of the partnership organizations during a trade mission with Vic Fedeli, Ontario’s Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade.

This milestone was achieved following completion of final commissioning and regulatory approval from the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission and is the culmination of a multi-year project to install a novel Isotope Production System (IPS) in Bruce Power’s Unit 7. It marks the first-of-its-kind achievement of a commercial power reactor with additional capability to commercially produce short-lived medical isotopes.

The IPS will provide reliable, industrial-scale production of lutetium-177, a medical isotope used for targeted cancer therapeutics. Lutetium-177 is used to deploy precision nuclear medicine that precisely targets malignant cells while sparing surrounding healthy tissues.

“Ontario’s nuclear industry supports thousands of high-skilled jobs and is at the forefront when it comes to innovation,” said Premier Doug Ford.  “Today’s announcement is a huge step forward in advancing Ontario as a world leader of isotope production in the fight against cancer. This unique international project using Made-in-Ontario infrastructure will help doctors and patients at home and around the world have greater access to the life-saving isotopes they need.”

“It is with great pride that we at Bruce Power, along with our partners at Isogen, ITM and Saugeen Ojibway Nation, celebrate the successful commencement of commercial operation of the world’s first large-scale Isotope Production System for…