Marathon Fusion Proposes New Pathway for Terbium-149 Cancer Isotope Production
Marathon Fusion has published new research outlining a method for scalable production of terbium-149 (Tb-149), an isotope long considered promising for targeted cancer therapy but hindered by supply limitations.
San Francisco – Marathon Fusion has announced a novel approach for the large-scale production of terbium-149 (Tb-149), a radioactive isotope studied for decades as a promising candidate for targeted cancer therapy. Historically, insufficient production quantities have prevented its use in clinical trials.
The company's new paper, published recently, proposes utilizing a gadolinium-150 (Gd-150) precursor to overcome the supply bottleneck. This method aims to enable Tb-149 production using widely available medical cyclotrons, addressing the challenges posed by the isotope's short 4.1-hour half-life.
Tb-149 is desirable for targeted radiotherapy due to its alpha particle emission, which destroys cancer cells over a short range, and its positron emission capability for imaging. However, its limited availability has stalled progress in human trials.
Marathon Fusion's proposed pathway draws inspiration from the production of fluorine-18, where a precursor isotope (oxygen-18) is centrally enriched and then used for on-site production. In their model, Gd-150 would be centrally produced and then irradiated locally by a network of cyclotrons.
CTO Adam Rutkowski stated the method could facilitate Tb-149-based drugs moving into clinical trials and eventually reaching patients globally. CEO Kyle Schiller added that a scalable production pathway for Tb-149 could significantly advance cancer treatment options, particularly with recent progress in targeting agents and alpha therapy efficacy.