IBA Wins Order for 12 Cyclotrons to Build US PET Tracer Network

Belgian equipment maker IBA (Ion Beam Applications) has won an order for 12 cyclotrons from a large radiopharmaceutical producer that is expanding its production network in the United States. IBA announced the order on October 15. It did not name the customer or the US sites.

What happened

IBA said a leading global producer and distributor of radiopharmaceuticals picked it as preferred vendor for the expansion. The order covers 12 Cyclone KIUBE 300 systems.

• The cyclotrons will be placed at multiple US sites to form a national network for high-volume commercial PET tracer production.
• Fluorine-18 is the main isotope for now.
• Each system comes with several Nirta fluorine-18 targets that do not need helium cooling.
• IBA will also handle facility design, installation, commissioning, and operator and maintenance training.

IBA did not give a total value for the deal. It said a KIUBE 300 typically costs between 2.5 and 5 million euros, depending on configuration and options. It also gave no delivery dates, saying only that the systems would be deployed within a short timeframe.

According to IBA, the platform can produce up to 35 curies of fluorine-18 in a single two-hour dual beam run. The company said its KIUBE fleet runs with uptime above 97%.

Loïk-Maël Nys, president of IBA RadioPharma Solutions, said IBA was pleased to be selected by "one of the world's key players" in radiopharmaceutical production. He said the project "is a significant undertaking."

Why it matters

IBA said industrial production capacity is the main constraint in the radiopharmaceutical market. It described the US as the largest market in the world. It framed the order as an example of building capacity ahead of demand.

For scale, IBA says it has more than 350 PET and SPECT cyclotrons installed around the world. This order adds 12 systems for one customer in one country.

The systems are set up for diagnostic PET tracers first. IBA said they can be extended to radiometals as the therapeutic side of the market develops.

What it means for people in the industry

IBA and the customer have not said where the new sites will be or how many people they will employ. The announcement does not mention hiring.

Things to watch:

• Whether the customer is named and the US site locations are made public.
• Delivery and installation timelines from IBA.
• Whether the network moves into radiometals for therapy, as IBA says the systems allow.

See open pharma jobs in the US and Canada

Sources

• IBA selected to support the US expansion of a leading radiopharmaceutical producer with an order for 12 Cyclone® KIUBE systems, IBA press release (via Capital.com)
• IBA gets order for 12 cyclotrons for U.S. PET tracer network, AuntMinnie
• IBA Secures Order for 12 Cyclotrons for PET Imaging Network in the United States, Idéal Investisseur