Nuclear materials recycled in the UK are set to be used to develop cutting-edge cancer treatments. 

A new government-backed project, led by United Kingdom National Nuclear Laboratory (UKNNL) and Medicines Discovery Catapult (MDC), will use a radionuclide called lead-212 to create treatments known as Targeted Alpha Therapies. The project has been supported by a £9.9 million ($13 million) investment from the Innovate UK Sustainable Medicines Manufacturing Innovation Programme (SMMIP) and a further £8.9 million ($12 million) from industry. 

“Almost 3.5 million people in the UK are living with cancer – but scientific breakthroughs are giving hope to more of them and their families,” said Liz Kendall, Science and Technology Secretary. 

“It’s incredible to think that we could turn used nuclear fuel into cutting edge cancer treatments – but that is exactly what British scientific brilliance is making possible.  

“Remarkable work like this, which could give cancer patients more priceless time with their loved ones, shows precisely why this government is giving record funding to research and development.” 

Innovative therapies would bring ‘new hope’

Therapies using nuclear elements form a type of precision medicine known as radiopharmaceuticals. Whilst radionuclides are already used worldwide for medical scans to diagnose cancer and other conditions, Targeted Alpha Therapy is an entirely new application.  

Lead-212 could offer hope to patients with cancers that are currently hard to treat by targeting and destroying cancer cells with minimal damage to healthy tissue and reduced side effects. 

The lead-212 will be extracted using a method previously employed by UKNNL to harvest a sustainable supply of lead-212 from recycled nuclear fuel. This has already been used to power homes across the UK. 

Given that the UK has large reserves of lead-212, there is optimism this approach could be scaled up to power new cancer treatments for patients in the UK and worldwide. 

“Through access to the UK’s sovereign supply of lead-212, we have a truly unique opportunity to transform our nuclear expertise into life-saving cancer treatments,” said Julianne Antrobus, Chief Executive Officer at UKNNL.  

“Developed from recycled fuel that has already served the nation by powering homes, lead-212 can now serve us again by offering new hope to cancer patients.” 

Professor Chris Molloy, CEO of Medicines Discovery Catapult, said lead-212 is an “untapped asset” and urged the need for infrastructure to support the project. 

“We need the infrastructure to produce, trial, and scale this evergreen approach,” he said. “The support from Innovate UK’s Sustainable Medicines Manufacturing Innovation Programme gives us the resources to realise our ambition, and is a clear signal that the UK is ready to innovate for patients here and around the world.” 

 

Bruno Quinney, Content Team, DDW