Rosatom has completed construction of the building for a new plant for the production of medical isotope products at the Karpov Scientific Research Institute of Physics & Chemistry in Obninsk, Kaluga region. The plant will be largest radio pharmaceutical factory in Europe. Construction began in 2023 and the plant is expected to begin operation in 2025 producing 25 items.
“In less than a year, we managed to complete the construction of the frame. The work is ahead of schedule. In parallel, Rosatom scientists, in close contact with the medical community, are developing innovative drugs that the plant will produce, said Igor Obrubov Director General for Health Technologies. “In March 2024, it is planned to begin production of experimental industrial batches of encapsulated iodine-131. In June 2024 we will complete preclinical studies for a drug based on Thorium-227 as well as innovative lutetium-177.”
Rosatom has already managed to replace imports of certain isotope products including technetium-99m generators from the French and Polish manufacturers, as well as sodium iodide (I-131) from Hungary. The Obninsk plant will produce a range of popular isotopes, including iodine-131, samaria-153 and molybdenum-99. The plant will also develop radiopharmaceutical substances and radiopharmaceutical drugs based on lutetium-177, actinium-225, radium-223 and other isotopes.
Image: Construction and installation work on the frame of Europe's largest pharmaceutical plant has been completed (courtesy of Rosatom)
