Anticancer Treatments: AREVA to Build Isotope Production Facility

Press release

Activities / Nuclear Energy/ Mining

March 10, 2010

AREVA Med LLC, a subsidiary of the AREVA group announced today the future construction of a facility on its Bessines site in France (Limousin region) which will produce medical-grade Lead-212* for anticancer treatments.

Relying on its experience in radiochemistry and nuclear engineering, AREVA has developed innovative processes to extract rare isotopes derived from its industrial activities.

AREVA CEO Anne Lauvergeon said: “This project illustrates AREVA’s capacity for innovation. We are delighted to contribute to the development of innovative medical solutions thanks to our core business activities.”

In nuclear medicine, the development of new treatments is dictated by isotope availability. With this new facility scheduled to open in 2013, rare Lead-212 will become more widely available and allow for the creation of new targeted therapies for patients.

Over the past several years, AREVA Med LLC and its partners have demonstrated the benefits of Lead-212 for use in innovative alpha radio-immunotherapy to combat cancer. 

In 2009, AREVA was awarded a distinction by the Global Clinton Initiative for its research efforts in the development of innovative approaches for producing Lead-212.

*Lead-212 is a rare radioactive isotope that lies at the heart of promising nuclear medical research to develop new cancer treatments.