SK biopharmaceuticals secures PanTera deal to lock down scarce Ac-225 supply for RPT

SK biopharmaceuticals has signed a supply agreement with Belgium-based radiopharmaceutical startup PanTera for Actinium-225 (Ac-225), securing a second source of the scarce isotope critical for radiopharmaceutical therapy (RPT) development. 

The deal, announced Tuesday, builds on the company's existing supply agreement with TerraPower and makes SK biopharmaceuticals the first in Asia to secure multiple sources of high-purity Ac-225. 

The company will use the isotope to advance SKL35501, its preclinical RPT candidate acquired from Full-Life Technologies. The deal expands on SK biopharmaceuticals’ existing supply agreement with TerraPower and positions the company to compete in the growing alpha-emitting RPT market.

PanTera, a joint venture between Belgium’s Ion Beam Applications (IBA) and Nuclear Research Center (SCK-CEN), was founded in 2022 to scale Ac-225 production. Through a technology transfer partnership with TerraPower, the company aims to address industry-wide shortages by supplying high-purity Ac-225.