CRP participants during a session with industry representatives
(Photo: J. Vera Araujo /IAEA)
Developing innovative cancer therapies requires more than scientific advancement. For emerging alpha-emitting radiopharmaceuticals such as actinium-225 (Ac-225), progress also depends on continued access to radionuclides, specialised technical expertise, robust quality assurance systems and strong international partnerships. These elements are essential at every stage of bringing a treatment to patients, from radionuclide production and radiopharmaceutical development to preclinical evaluation and, ultimately, clinical application.
An IAEA coordinated research project on the Production and Quality Control of Ac-225 Radiopharmaceuticals has brought together researchers from 21 countries to build shared protocols for producing, testing and evaluating these therapies. As the project enters its final phase, the focus is on consolidating results into guidance that any country can use.
Participants took stock of the project's work in August 2026 in its third research coordination meeting, which included a dedicated industry session that brought together leading Ac-225 producers and participating research institutions. The exchange assessed and highlighted the growing need for closer collaboration across the radiopharmaceutical ecosystem to address production, supply and development challenges, while supporting the transfer of knowledge and technology needed to expand access to targeted alpha therapies.
"International collaboration is essential to unlocking the full potential of Ac-225," said Tzanka Wheldon, Director of the IAEA Division of Physical and Chemical Sciences. "By providing a platform for Member States, research institutions and industry to collaborate, the IAEA is helping to accelerate innovation while strengthening the technical capacities needed to access these therapies to patients."
Building the Foundations for the Next Generation of Targeted Cancer Therapies
Targeted alpha therapy (TAT) is emerging as one of the most promising approaches in nuclear medicine. By delivering alpha emitting radionuclides directly to cancer cells, TAT has the potential to destroy malignant tissue locally while minimizing damage to surrounding healthy tissue.
Among the radionuclides under development, Ac-225 has attracted global attention because of its favourable therapeutic properties and its potential to improve outcomes for patients with certain types of cancer. However, realizing this potential requires reliable radionuclide production, robust quality control, continued radiopharmaceutical development and harmonized technical approaches across institutions.
Through this coordinated research project, the IAEA supports Member States with different levels of technical capacity in building the scientific knowledge, technical expertise and collaborative networks needed to address these challenges. By facilitating joint research, sharing best practices and developing harmonized methodologies, the IAEA helps strengthen national capabilities in the safe and effective development of Ac-225 radiopharmaceuticals.
"As this project enters its final phase, our focus is on translating scientific progress into lasting collaboration. By harmonizing methodologies and establishing thematic working groups, we can maximize the impact of the research and help move Ac-225 radiopharmaceuticals closer to clinical application," said Vicky Gonzalez, Chemist in the IAEA's Radiochemistry and Radiation Technology Section.
From Research Collaboration to Practical Industry Partnerships
One of the strengths of this project is its ability to turn common technical challenges into practical partnerships and jointly address them. Participating institutions have exchanged materials, protocols, analytical methods and expertise to advance Ac-225 radiopharmaceutical development and to strengthen technical capabilities across participating countries.
This has included sharing Ac-225 samples from different production routes, chelating agents and new ligands, along with standard operating procedures, radiolabelling and quality control methods. Participants will also conduct interlaboratory comparisons using the same protocols to identify variations in measurements and procedures and support broader harmonization. Such collaboration is particularly important given the limited availability of Ac-225 and the impact of production methods on radionuclidic purity, radiochemical performance and quality control outcomes.
By pooling international resources, expertise and infrastructure, this project enables institutions to address complex technical challenges, that would be difficult to tackle individually, while fostering hands-on training and knowledge transfer and long-term scientific cooperation.
Building on this research network, the IAEA is now deepening ties with industry. At the third research coordination meeting, representatives from NorthStar Medical Radioisotopes, ROSATOM, ITM Isotope Technologies Munich, Bayer and PanTera joined participating institutions for a dedicated industry session, which focused on current Ac-225 production capabilities, supply challenges and ways to connect research needs with the emerging Ac-225 needs, turning what was once a fragmented research landscape into a genuine collaborative network.
