McMaster University and U.K. deep tech firm Astral Systems have formed a partnership to produce Actinium-225 and Lead-212, two highly sought-after radioisotopes critical to new cancer treatments.

The project will leverage McMaster’s long history and experience in medical isotope research and development to validate certain technical aspects of Astral’s IP related to the production of these two isotopes.

“We’re proud to partner with Astral Systems on this research collaboration, combining McMaster’s expertise in medical isotopes with Astral Systems’ groundbreaking fusion technology to advance life-saving radioisotope-based treatments,” says Karin Stephenson, McMaster’s director, Nuclear Research and Education Support.

“McMaster has a long history of leadership in the field of nuclear medicine, and we look forward to working with our partners in the UK to develop new cancer treatments for patients across the globe.”

The initial Ac-225 and Pb-212 experiments represent the start of a long-term research partnership between Astral Systems and McMaster, which will explore new approaches to yield critical short-life isotopes.

The project will inform Astral’s future production of medical and industrial isotopes, furthering the fusion company’s ambition to produce a catalogue of short-lives isotopes that are in great demand but difficult to source, says Talmon Firestone, CEO and co-founder of Astral Systems.

“Our next generation multi-state fusion technology can produce medical and industrial isotopes with unparalleled performance – accelerating availability for use in health, research and industrial settings,” he says.

Astral’s Multi-State Fusion (MSF) reactors have already achieved unparalleled performance with greater efficiency and lower cost. MSF’s superior fusion capabilities exceed traditional methods, allowing Astral’s high-performance compact fusion reactors to operate as high flux, long-life neutron sources that are ideal for medical isotope production.

“McMaster is home to one of the world’s leading nuclear research facilities so we are lucky to have them onboard as a research partner as we explore how MSF can boost production of highly sought after life-saving isotopes and increase future availability worldwide,” says Firestone.

McMaster is a world leader in medical isotope research and production, providing cancer treatments for more than 70,000 patients every year. Home to a suite of world-class nuclear research facilities — including the 5MW McMaster Nuclear Reactor — the university is a trusted industry partner, collaborating globally to advance nuclear research and new radioisotope-based treatments.