NEWS RELEASE November 1, 2023
Serva Energy’s sample measurement of the rare, cancer-killing medical isotope Actinium-225 has been validated by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Nuclear Research Laboratory.
It’s the latest milestone in Serva’s development of commercial quantities of Actinium-225 (Ac-225) needed for next-generation Targeted Alpha Therapies.
“Some of the best scientists in the world have demonstrated the power of our technology,” said Ian Horvath, CEO and founder of Serva Energy, a nuclear innovation company working at the intersection of energy and health care solutions. “Producing medical-grade Actinium was not our original goal, but it has become a compelling backstory in the evolution of our technology, which is designed to change the way we produce carbon-free energy—making it safer, sustainable, and more efficient.”
In June, Serva announced a novel reactor-based method to produce significantly greater amounts of medical-grade Ac-225—marking the first time a commercial entity has used a conventional nuclear reactor to create the ultra-rare isotope.
“MIT’s confirmation of the successful production of Ac-225 using Serva’s innovative process, combined with the initial confirmation performed by the Mayo Clinic, is highly encouraging,” said Dr. Ian Horn, Senior Associate Consultant at the Mayo Clinic Rochester. “Plans to quickly optimize and scale up any production of this potentially critical medical isotope will be crucial in establishing a reliable supply of Ac-225.”
Technology transforms nuclear waste into cancer treatment
Serva’s technology transforms Radium-226 into life-saving Ac-225 and paves the way for research reactors around the world to collaborate with Serva on increasing Ac-225 production without huge capital investments or delays for construction.
“Serva’s production method could provide sufficient quantities to serve the anticipated demand for the successful development of a pipeline of Ac-225-based Targeted Alpha Therapy products for widespread clinical use,” said Dr. Horn, who specializes in Radiochemistry and Radiopharmaceuticals in the Departments of Nuclear Medicine and Radiology at the Mayo Clinic. “These novel products have a strong potential to positively impact a significant and growing patient population for whom this type of therapy promises to be highly beneficial.”
Considered waste and highly restricted, Radium-226 has the potential to be transformed into the life-saving drugs of tomorrow, says Horvath, whose work is at the forefront of a paradigm shift in nuclear processes, in which nuclear waste serves as a resource, an asset to harness, reducing the amount that needs to be managed.
“At Serva, we are creating a whole new way of thinking about nuclear waste by using it as fuel for the reactor,” said Horvath. “Nothing needs to be managed or destroyed, as it’s all part of the process.”
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Britt Lewis Communications | Serva Energy britt@servaenergy.com
Serva Energy is a nuclear innovation company revolutionizing the way radioisotopes and nuclear fuels are produced—serving the world critical cancer treatments and a safe carbon-free transition to a clean energy future. Serva fuel technologies aim to transform the state of nuclear power within this decade, making reactors safer and more efficient, while advancing the supply of radioisotopes for health care applications and biomedical research.
Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit organization committed to innovation in clinical practice, education, and research, and providing compassion, expertise, and answers to everyone who needs healing.
MIT Nuclear Research Laboratory (MIT-NRL) is an interdepartmental center supporting educational training and cutting-edge research in nuclear fission engineering, material science, radiation effects in biology and medicine, neutron physics, geochemistry, and environmental studies. MIT-NRL operates a high performance 6-megawatt nuclear research reactor—the second-largest university research reactor in the United States and the only one located on the campus of a major research university.