As the radiopharma space heats up, CDMO Nucleus RadioPharma is expanding its commercial manufacturing with two new facilities to cater to potential clients outside North America.
The CDMO has started building a 53,000-square-foot facility in Mesa, AZ, and another in Spring House, PA. The Arizona facility will be able to ship to Asia, and the 48,000-square-foot Philadelphia factory will cater to European clients, Nucleus CEO Charles Conroy told Endpoints News in an interview.
Charles ConroyEach facility will add 50 new jobs. The factories will be completed by the end of 2026, with the first doses coming out mid-2027, Conroy said. No financial details were disclosed.
The CDMO announced it completed a Series A extension round in June with an undisclosed amount, with support from AstraZeneca and others.
“Prominent Nucleus backers, including Fox Chase Cancer Center and Mayo Clinic, will benefit from the increased scale and geographical proximity these facilities provide,” the company said in a Monday release. AstraZeneca has been bulking its radiopharma pipeline, with the UK pharma buying Fusion Pharmaceuticals for $2 billion in March.
Nucleus’ only other facility, located in Rochester, MN, is mainly focused on R&D, but Conroy said this factory will also produce commercial assets, with first doses coming out next year.
Radiopharmaceuticals are tricky to make and transport due to the short half-lives of radioisotopes. The CDMO’s two new facilities will allow it to ship products faster, such that it could reduce supply chain time by around 30%, Conroy said in a statement.
Other radiopharma manufacturers have also been expanding production. Indiana-headquartered SpectronRx recently announced a new build in Europe. Australian company Telix Pharmaceuticals also said its acquisition of radioisotope manufacturer RLS Radiopharmacies would boost its North American footprint.