GE Healthcare and Shine Medical Technologies have successfully obtained pharmaceutical-grade technetium-99m (Tc-99m) from GE's Drytec (Tc-99m generator) using molybdenum-99 (Mo-99) produced by Shine.
The positive results confirm that the Mo-99 produced by the Shine process can be incorporated into the existing Mo-99 supply chain. Once approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the use of Shine-produced Mo-99 in Drytec will not require changes to radiopharmacy practices or how the resulting Tc-99m is used in scanning procedures, the firms said.
Shine is expected to begin commercial production in 2019 using this new process, and it expects to be able to produce enough Mo-99 to supply two-thirds of the U.S. patient population.
