Challenges of manufacturing radiopharmaceuticals
The manufacture of radiopharmaceuticals presents specific challenges due to the radioactive nature of the finished products. Firstly, safety is a major concern, as the radionuclides used are radioactive and require appropriate handling and production to minimise the risk of exposure to workers and patients.
Production facilities must comply with strict radiation protection and nuclear safety standards to guarantee safe operations. In addition, quality management is crucial to ensure the stability, purity and safety of radiopharmaceuticals, as small variations in chemical composition can have an impact on their clinical efficacy.
In addition, regulation is complex and demanding, with specific requirements for the authorisation, production, storage, transport and disposal of radiopharmaceuticals. The logistical challenges associated with the short half-life of the radionuclides used require precise planning and close coordination to ensure efficient production and distribution of medicines to medical centres. Despite these challenges, the manufacture of radiopharmaceuticals offers significant benefits to both institutions and patients by enabling early diagnosis, accurate tumour localisation and personalised treatment for patients with cancer, heart disease and other medical conditions, making it an essential medical technology for many clinical applications.
Stages in the manufacture of radiopharmaceuticals
There are several key stages in the manufacture of radiopharmaceuticals. Firstly, the radionuclide is produced in a nuclear reactor or cyclotron, depending on the radionuclide used. Next, the radionuclide is purified to obtain the desired chemical form, usually in the form of a salt or metal complex. This step is crucial to guarantee the quality and purity of the radionuclide used in the radiopharmaceutical. Next, the radionuclide is combined with a specific pharmaceutical compound to form the radiopharmaceutical, using conventional pharmaceutical chemistry methods.
The formulation of the radiopharmaceutical must be carefully optimised to achieve the required stability and quality, while maintaining the biological and pharmacological properties of the compound of interest. Once the formulation is complete, the radiopharmaceutical undergoes extensive quality control testing to ensure that it meets the required safety and efficacy standards before being packaged in appropriate vials for distribution to medical centres. Finally, the radiopharmaceutical is shipped under appropriate transport conditions, in accordance with current regulations, to guarantee its stability during transport until its clinical use.
The steps involved in manufacturing radio pharmaceuticals are complex and require specialist expertise in radiopharmacy, pharmaceutical chemistry and quality management to ensure the production of safe and effective end products.
Radiopharmaceutical manufacturing: safe and secure production with Jacomex
With 75 years’ experience and unique know-how to share, JACOMEX, founded in 1945, is a leader in the mastery of sealing, containment and safety. As a company at the cutting edge of technology, JACOMEX is made up of a team of human, dynamic and dedicated employees, always ready to serve their customers. With JACOMEX, you can be sure that all our products including radiopharmaceutical drugs are manufactured safely, both for staff and for future patients.
