The high demand for radioisotopes comes from the medical community's dependence on a consistent supply as they are heavily relied on to diagnose and treat disease in a sophisticated and effective manner. Each day an average of 50,000 diagnostic procedures are done in the United States using Tc-99. Radioisotopes are time-sensitive and transported as Mo-99 due to its longer half life (66 hours) compared to Tc-99 (six hours).
Demand continues to grow, and the United States currently imports nearly 100 percent of its supply, mostly from Canada. The reactor currently producing Mo-99 in Canada is scheduled for permanent closure within the decade. A dependence on foreign production challenges American reliability and safety in the medical community.
Many challenges surround establishing a consistent supply of Mo-99 in the United States. Current processes for creating Mo-99 include hot acid washes, high-power reactors, highly enriched weapons grade uranium, and unmanageable amounts of nuclear wastes. These unsustainable and energy-consuming strategies do not adhere to American regulations and are deemed to dangerous to support.
The NWMI Solution
Northwest Medical Isotopes, LLC has formed a team of U.S. organizations with the expertise and proven facilities necessary to cost effectively address the Mo-99 market.
Advantages of NWMI
- NWMI is an all U.S. team
- The “Total LEU Solution” avoids nonproliferation issues through use of LEU for target feedstock and reactor
- Solves “just in time supply problem” due to short 66 hour half life of Mo-99
- Utilization of existing up-to-date research reactor
- Uses modern, low cost isotope extraction processing approach
- Intellectual Property/Licensing and unique sub-licensing opportunities