Fusion Pharmaceuticals and BWXT Medical Announce Actinium-225 Partnership to Scale Supply for Developing Targeted Alpha Therapies
January 05 2023 - 4:00PM
Business Wire
Agreement augments Fusion’s existing isotope supply as
pipeline of clinical stage actinium-based radiopharmaceuticals
grows
Furthers BWXT Medical’s position as a global leader in
medical isotope supply
Fusion Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Nasdaq: FUSN), and BWXT Medical
Ltd., a subsidiary of BWX Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: BWXT), today
announced that the companies have entered into a preferred partner
agreement for the supply of actinium-225. Under the agreement, BWXT
Medical will provide predetermined amounts of Fusion’s actinium
supply needs at volume-based pricing.
Actinium-225 is an alpha-emitting isotope used in targeted alpha
therapies (TATs) that combine the isotope with specific
tumor-seeking targeting vectors to kill cancer cells while
minimizing the impact to healthy tissues. There is growing demand
for the isotope but a limited number of suppliers who are currently
able to produce meaningful quantities of high purity actinium.
Fusion Chief Executive Officer John Valliant, Ph.D., said,
“Fusion’s portfolio of clinical-stage targeted alpha therapies is
expanding, with three proprietary programs in clinical trials and
additional programs advancing under our collaboration with
AstraZeneca. Based on emerging clinical data in the literature
which show the power of alpha particles over conventional beta
emitters, we continue to proactively prioritize access to actinium
as a critical component of Fusion’s development plans and we are
excited to partner with BWXT Medical. As an established global
leader in medical isotope manufacturing and supply with proven
ability to produce high purity actinium, BWXT Medical has the
necessary infrastructure and shipping logistics capabilities to
support both clinical and commercial scale manufacturing and
distribution of medical isotopes. This agreement increases our
existing actinium supply for both current programs as well as
future business development opportunities and partnered programs,
diversifies our supply chain, and establishes a relationship to
collaborate on longer-term commercial production needs.”
BWXT Medical President and Chief Executive Officer Jonathan
Cirtain, Ph. D., said, “Excitement for the potential of targeted
alpha therapies to treat cancer is growing, and we have made the
necessary investments in infrastructure and intellectual property
to help meet the increasing global demand for actinium. BWXT
Medical is now producing high-purity non-carrier added
actinium-225. Fusion is a leading developer of targeted alpha
therapies, and we are pleased to work with them as their clinical
programs continue to advance.”
About Fusion
Fusion Pharmaceuticals is a clinical-stage oncology company
focused on developing next-generation radiopharmaceuticals as
precision medicines. Fusion connects alpha particle emitting
isotopes to various targeting molecules in order to selectively
deliver the alpha emitting payloads to tumors. Fusion's lead
program, FPI-1434 targeting insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor,
is currently in a Phase 1 clinical trial. The pipeline includes
FPI-1966, targeting the fibroblast growth factor receptor 3
(FGFR3), advancing to a Phase 1 study following the investigational
new drug (IND) clearance; and FPI-2059, a small molecule targeting
neurotensin receptor 1 (NTSR1). In addition to a robust proprietary
pipeline, Fusion has a collaboration with AstraZeneca to jointly
develop novel targeted alpha therapies (TATs) and combination
programs between Fusion's TATs and AstraZeneca's DNA Damage Repair
Inhibitors (DDRis) and immuno-oncology agents. Fusion has also
entered into a collaboration with Merck to evaluate FPI-1434 in
combination with Merck's KEYTRUDA® (pembrolizumab) in patients with
solid tumors expressing IGF-1R. Fusion and Hamilton, Ontario-based
McMaster University are building a current Good Manufacturing
Practice (GMP) compliant radiopharmaceutical manufacturing facility
designed to support manufacturing of the Company's growing pipeline
of TATs.
About BWXT Medical
BWXT Medical Ltd. manufactures custom radiopharmaceuticals,
radiotherapies and medical isotopes in an 80,000-square-foot cGMP
manufacturing facility in Ottawa and at the state-of-the-art
commercial cyclotron facility within TRIUMF, Canada’s particle
acceleration centre. BWXT Medical Ltd. is a subsidiary of BWX
Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: BWXT). BWXT is a Fortune 1000 and Defense
News Top 100 manufacturing and engineering innovator that provides
safe and effective nuclear solutions for global security, clean
energy, environmental remediation, nuclear medicine and space
exploration. Follow us on Twitter at @BWXT and learn more at
www.bwxt.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
BWX Technologies, Inc. (“BWXT”) cautions that this release
contains forward-looking statements, including statements relating
to expectations for the development, production, performance,
demand, timing and impact of Ac-225. These forward-looking
statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties, including,
among other things, changes in market demand, delays in the
development and automation of our production, regulatory approvals
and potential supply chain issues. If one or more of these or other
risks materialize, actual results may vary materially from those
expressed. For a more complete discussion of these and other risk
factors, please see BWXT’s annual report on Form 10-K for the year
ended December 31, 2021 and subsequent quarterly reports on Form
10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. BWXT
cautions not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking
statements, which speak only as of the date of this release, and
undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking
statement, except to the extent required by applicable law.
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version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230105006003/en/
Media Contact Jud Simmons Director, Media & Public
Relations 434.522.6462 hjsimmons@bwxt.com
Investor Contact Mark Kratz Vice President, Investor
Relations 980.365.4300 investors@bwxt.com
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