Method for producing 225Actinium from 226Radium

The European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) has developed a method for producing ²²⁵Actinium (Ac-225), a valuable isotope critical for next-generation cancer therapies.

This innovation enables safer, scalable, and cost-effective production of Ac-225 by irradiating a liquid ²²⁶Radium (Ra-226) target in a closed-loop system.

See the patent on WIPO website

Short technical description of the invention

The main seven steps for Ac-225 production method are presented below. For more information, see full patent description on the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) website.

1. Preparation
Solution Mixing
Liquid target solution with Ra-226 and nitric acid is prepared
2. Irradiation
Ac-225 Generation
Solution is irradiated to produce Ac-225
3. Extraction
Ac-225 Separation
Ac-225 is extracted while Ra-226 is retained
4. Recirculation
Continuous Production
Irradiated solution is recirculated to generate more Ac-225
5. Purification
Ac-225 Refinement
Ac-225 is purified and concentrated using extraction columns
6. Radon Removal
Decay Product Filtering
Radon and other decay products are removed using activated carbon filters
7. Radium Recycling
Waste Minimization
Ra-226 is recycled to reduce waste and optimize production

Reference

Patent: WO2020260210

Developed by: The EU, represented by European Commission

Publication date: 30 December 2020

Countries covered: European Unitary Patent, China, Canada, India, Japan

Licensing terms: Negotiable royalties, upfront fees, and technical support

Contact: JRC-TechTransferec [dot] europa [dot] eu (JRC-TechTransfer[at]ec[dot]europa[dot]eu)

Why ²²⁵actinium production matters

Medical Demand: Ac-225 is a “gold standard” for targeted alpha therapy (TAT) due to its short half-life (10 days) and high-energy alpha particles, which destroy cancer cells while sparing healthy tissue. Ac-225 clinical trials increase every year
Critical Shortage/ Supply Crisis: Global supply falls drastically short of demand. Scaling production unlocks therapies for thousands awaiting treatment
Regulatory Push: Medical regulations support Ac-225-based therapies, but supply bottlenecks hinder clinical trial, research demands and commercialization

Key advantages/ unique selling points:

Efficient Recycling: Recycle radium targets efficiently, enabling continuous production
No Drying and Re-dissolving: Skip drying and re-dissolving steps, streamlining the process
Enhanced Safety: Reduce radon gas emission and contamination risks
Improved Separation: Easily separate actinium from radium without extra steps
Continuous Production: Circulate liquid targets in a closed loop for non-stop production
Cost-effectiveness: Save on expensive equipment and complex processes
Purity: Avoid long-lived contaminants like Ac-227
Scalability: Scale up or down with commercial cyclotrons for high-yield production
Flexibility: Adapt production to changing demand with ease

Technology readiness level

The technical readiness level (TRL) of this technology is TRL 4: "Technology validated in a laboratory".

Justification: The technology has been demonstrated in laboratory setting, with a high level of sophistication. However, further development, validation and optimization are required to achieve operational/ commercial-scale production.

Competitive landscape

Producing Ac-225 is a highly complex and challenging process, requiring significant expertise and resources to overcome the numerous technical and logistical hurdles that exist. Despite these challenges, the demand for Ac-225 is growing rapidly, driven by its potential in cancer treatment and research.

However, current production methods are often limited by their scalability, cost-effectiveness, and ability to produce high-purity Ac-225, making it difficult for producers to meet the increasing demand.

Below is a table showing the competitive landscape of existing Ac-225 production technologies, highlighting the advantages and disadvantages of each method.

Table 1. Competitive landscape of the Ac-225 production methods

	PRODUCTION Method	Description	Advantages	Limitations
1	Thorium-229 Decay	Uses Th-229 to produce Ac-225 through radioactive decay	Well-established method; high purity Ac-225	Limited availability of Th-229
2	Proton irradiation of Th-232	Uses protons to irradiate Th-232	High yield of Ac-225	Co-produces Ac-227; difficult target handling after irradiation; requires complex isotopic separation and radiation protection
3	Photon irradiation of solid Ra-226	Uses photons to irradiate solid Ra-226 targets	Non charged particle irradiation; easier target system	Requires handling of solid Ra-226 targets; requires electron accelerators (which are less abundant than cyclotrons)
4	Proton irradiation of solid Ra-226	Uses protons to irradiate solid Ra-226	High yields of Ac-225 in commercially available cyclotrons	Requires handling of solid Ra-226 targets
5	Neutron irradiation of solid Ra-226	Uses neutrons to irradiate solid Ra-226 targets	Irradiation without charged particles	Requires large Ra-226 targets; neutron source required; reactor or accelerator required
6	Deuteron irradiation of a beryllium target with a Ra-226 capsule	Secondary neutrons are formed which irradiate a Ra-226 capsule to transmute Ra-226 into Ac-225	Potentially safer than direct charged particle irradiation of Ra-226	Requires handling of solid Ra-226 targets. Requires acceleration of deuterons to
7	Our Patent: Liquid Ra-226 irradiation method	Uses a liquid target of Ra-226 and irradiation with protons, deuterons or gamma to produce Ac-225	Closed system, no handling of solid Ra-226 targets; improved safety and radiation protection	Requires development of specialized equipment and expertise

Market potential

Market Size & Growth

2025 Market Value: $1.6 billion (projected for radiopharmaceuticals using Ac-225)
Market expected to reach $5.5 billion by 2033 globally
Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR): 15–20.6% (2025–2033)

Key Growth Drivers

Rising cancer incidence / rising adoption of Targeted Alpha Therapy (TAT); 10 million deaths globally in 2023; 60% projected increase in new cases by 2040
Ac-225’s high linear energy transfer (LET) destroys cancer cells with minimal damage to healthy tissue, making it ideal for resistant cancers
Regulatory Prioritization: The FDA’s prioritization of Ac-225 reflects its transformative potential in oncology, with Fast Track designations accelerating therapies for prostate, lung and rare cancers

Market Opportunity

Supply-Demand Gap: Current global Ac-225 production is less than the clinical demand
Untapped Applications: e.g. in theranostics (combining Ac-225’s therapeutic α-particles with imaging γ-emissions for real-time monitoring)

Key Customers for Ac-225 Production

Pharmaceutical/ Biotechnology Companies
Research Institutions
Hospitals and Cancer Centers
Radiopharmaceutical Manufacturers

These customers will use the produced Ac-225 to develop and manufacture various products, including: radiopharmaceuticals for cancer treatment, targeted alpha therapies for cancer treatment, diagnostic agents for cancer imaging, research tools for cancer research.

Ideal licensee profile

To license our Ac-225 production method, the licensee will need the following infrastructure: technical expertise, facilities and equipment, radiation protection and safety, quality control and assurance/ regulatory compliance, etc.

What JRC offers

The European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC) may provide technical support and collaboration to licensees, including, but not limited to: training and capacity building to support the development of the licensee's technical expertise and infrastructure, troubleshooting analysis, collaboration on R&D, etc. For more information, contact the JRC Technology Transfer Team: JRC-TechTransferec [dot] europa [dot] eu (JRC-TechTransfer[at]ec[dot]europa[dot]eu).