New Venture Aims to Scale Astatine-211 Production
The joint venture aims to build an international supply network for the radioisotope with a first site operational by 2028.
Updated on Oct. 16, 2026 in Nuclear
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IBA and Framatome have launched a joint venture called Ekalia to establish an international network for producing the alpha-emitting radioisotope Astatine-211. This newly announced initiative aims to build the industrial infrastructure necessary to bring this isotope into clinical use.
Why it matters
Astatine-211 is a key component for targeted alpha therapy in nuclear medicine, but its deployment has been constrained by a lack of large-scale production capability. This venture seeks to solve that supply bottleneck by combining cyclotron technology with nuclear industrial manufacturing.
The venture aims to scale production by integrating IBA's particle accelerator technology with Framatome's nuclear industrial infrastructure. The first site is slated to come online in 2028, though the total output capacity remains unquantified.
The players
IBA
A company specializing in particle accelerator technology for cancer diagnosis and therapy, with a global workforce of 2,000.
Framatome
A nuclear energy firm focused on reactor engineering and the development of medical products.
Ekalia
A new joint venture between IBA and Framatome dedicated to the industrial-scale production of Astatine-211.
The details
The venture combines cyclotron technology—particle accelerators that use electromagnetic fields to propel charged particles—with nuclear industrial expertise. Astatine-211 is an alpha-emitting radioisotope, a radioactive atom that emits high-energy alpha particles used to destroy targeted cells, particularly in cancer treatment. The process requires highly specialized facilities to produce, handle, and transport these isotopes due to their short half-life.
Timeline
October 16, 2026: IBA and Framatome announce the creation of Ekalia.
2028: The first production site in Nantes, France, is planned to become operational.
The Tech Race
This development marks a push to standardize production for next-generation radiopharmaceuticals, echoing the industrialization path previously taken by Lutetium-177. The race is now to establish stable, large-scale supply chains capable of meeting clinical demand across North America and Europe.
This development does not yet affect clinical practice or patient care, as the infrastructure remains in the planning phase. Providers and research institutions will need to monitor the 2028 operational target for updates on isotope supply availability.
The takeaway
The venture attempts to turn experimental isotopes into a scalable medical commodity by building dedicated industrial hubs. Readers should track the 2028 launch of the Nantes facility as a bellwether for whether the project will successfully meet its production goals.
Further reading
For broader trends in medical radioisotope development, visit the Nuclear section.
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Do you believe partnerships to industrialize new radioisotopes will improve long-term access to cancer care?
