A precise weapon for destroying cancer cells, our country has achieved for the first time the mass production of medical-grade alpha isotopes at Curie level.

Reporters learned from the Institute of High Energy Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences that the Chinese Spallation Neutron Source recently achieved, for the first time, mass production of medical-grade alpha isotope “curie-level” at industrial scale. This will accelerate the transition of China’s domestically developed alpha radiopharmaceuticals from the laboratory to clinical application. With its distinctive advantage of “high-energy short range,” alpha isotopes can precisely kill cancer cells while causing minimal damage to surrounding healthy tissues. They are a powerful tool for cancer treatment, and are especially of great clinical value for targeted therapy for mid- to late-stage tumors. However, for a long time, key therapeutic alpha isotopes such as actinium-225 and radium-223 have relied entirely on imports, and supply has been scarce. Because large-scale production involves multiple technical barriers, it has become a globally recognized industry challenge, and it has also constrained the development of China’s alpha radiopharmaceutical industry. (CCTV News)