Canadian Medical Isotope Subsidiary Announces Supply Agreement

Sterigenics International’s subsidiary Nordion announced late last week that it had entered into a molybdenum-99 (Mo-99) supply agreement with General Atomics and the University of Missouri Research Reactor Center. With Canada set to operate the National Research Universal (NRU) reactor, one of the world’s largest suppliers of Mo-99 and technetium-99m, until 2016 and then only for emergencies until 2018, the medical isotope industry is expecting a shortage in the market in the coming years. Under this agreement, the Canadian-based Nordion would receive Mo-99 produced at the University of Missouri Research Reactor Center using General Atomics’ Selective Gaseous Extraction (SGE) technology. “[This] announcement will ensure Nordion has a secure long-term supply of medical isotopes, which will consolidate our leadership position in this business– that is great news for our company, for our employees, our customers and patients around the world,” Nordion President of Medical Isotopes Tom Burnett said in a statement. Nordion currently receives its Mo-99 from the NRU reactor, but according to the company, it expects to begin receiving shipment under this agreement in 2017.