Dec. 6, 2023
Contact: Uriah Orland, 573-884-5139, uriah.orland@missouri.edu
The University of Missouri Research Reactor (MURR) recently completed its first commercial shipment of no-carrier-added lutetium-177 (NCA Lu-177) for human use and is providing weekly deliveries to Novartis for use in cancer treatments. These shipments are a significant milestone in a yearslong development project by researchers at MURR.
The MU Research Reactor is the sole producer in the United States of NCA Lu-177 for cancer treatment. Researchers at MU first identified the potential of the lutetium isotope as a treatment for cancer nearly 25 years ago, and the university has been instrumental in research and development of lutetium since that time.
“The shipments of lutetium continue our strong collaboration with Novartis and will improve and save lives,” said Mun Choi, president of the University of Missouri. “Together with Novartis, MURR and MU are uniquely positioned to discover, research and create leading-edge treatments that will benefit cancer patients in Missouri, across the United States and around the world.”