Canada NewsWire (press release), Canada
MDS Nordion brings new cyclotron online
Vancouver site expands to meet growing demand for medical isotopes
VANCOUVER, Canada, June 17 /CNW/ - (NYSE: MDZ; TSX: MDS) MDS Nordion, the world's leading supplier of medical isotopes,
today announced the start of commercial production at its TR-30-2 cyclotron in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Authorized by the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) for production of medical isotopes, the cyclotron is now
the third at MDS Nordion's Vancouver TRIUMF site.
MDS Nordion's new cyclotron will meet the current demand for the critical, short-lived radioisotopes that are used in a
wide range of diagnostic and therapeutic medical applications. It will also allow MDS Nordion to respond to its
customers' steadily growing demand for medical isotopes such as iodine-123 (I-123), palladium-103 (Pd-103), thallium-
201 (Tl-201), and indium-111 (In-111) with further production capacity.
"The start of commercial production at our new cyclotron ensures that the many patients who depend on medical isotopes
have a reliable and sustainable supply," said Iain Trevena, Senior Vice President, Nuclear Medicine at MDS Nordion.
"The cyclotron is another demonstration of our commitment to reliable and timely delivery of medical isotopes to our
customers."
At MDS Nordion's Vancouver operation, medical isotopes are produced and processed seven days a week and delivered to
radiopharmaceutical companies, biotechnology companies, research institutes, hospitals and clinics around the world.
The new $20-million CDN project also includes an expansion of the site's processing facility, with new hot cells,
shielded caves with target stations, and new development space.
The new cyclotron will produce a broad range of medical isotopes, including I-123, Pd-103, Tl-201 and In-111. I-123 is
primarily used for the assessment of thyroid function, in the diagnosis and management of thyroid cancer, and in the
assessment of neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. MDS Nordion is the major commercial
producer of I-123 radiochemical in North America and the key supplier to independent researchers.
"Having an organization like MDS Nordion, which is producing a multitude of important radioisotopes, such as I-123, is
a great asset to the field of nuclear medicine," said Dr. Abass Alavi, Chief of Nuclear Medicine at the hospital of the
University of Pennsylvania. "At our hospital alone, we use I-123 exclusively for routine imaging of the thyroid in 400-
500 patients with cancer and other disorders annually. I-123 is emerging as the medical isotope of choice for imaging
the thyroid instead of I-131, since it provides a superior image compared to I-131, without I-131's stunning effect."
Pd-103 is used to treat prostate cancer, the most common form of cancer in men, affecting over 200,000 men in Canada
and the United States each year. MDS Nordion is the leading commercial supplier of Pd-103 radiochemical to
manufacturers of prostate seed implants such as North American Scientific Inc.
"With the addition of the new cyclotron, MDS Nordion continues to demonstrate its commitment to a secure supply of
palladium-103," said L. Michael Cutrer, President and CEO, North American Scientific Inc. "MDS Nordion's sharp focus on
reliability and its in-depth expertise are key factors helping us serve our prostate seed implant customers."
The cyclotron also strengthens MDS Nordion's ability to back up the in-house production of Tl-201 radiopharmaceutical
manufacturers. Tl-201 is used for assessment of heart function.
In-111 is used for diagnostic imaging by labelling it to antibodies and peptides that carry it to the desired part of
the body. In-111 is also being used in clinical trials to treat neuroendocrine and other tumours.
For over 20 years, MDS Nordion has partnered with TRIUMF (Tri-University Meson Facility) at the University of British
Columbia to create a collaborative research and production site for cyclotron-produced isotopes. The collaboration is
focused on developing new types of targets, new calibration sources, cyclotron enhancements and an expanded product
line. The collaboration has produced several pioneering developments, including the production of high-purity I-123
from a xenon gas target, and a patented high-volume production method for Pd-103.
MDS Nordion has a fourth cyclotron in Fleurus, Belgium.
About MDS Nordion
-----------------
MDS Nordion is a leading developer and supplier of medical isotopes used to diagnose, prevent and treat diseases such
as cancer and heart disease. Headquartered in Ottawa, Canada, with production facilities in Vancouver, Canada, and
Fleurus, Belgium, MDS Nordion produces a wide variety of diagnostic and therapeutic radioisotopes and distributes them
to radiopharmaceutical producers and researchers in over 80 countries around the world, usually in less than 24 hours.
MDS Nordion's partners include some of the world's foremost biotechnology innovators such as IDEC Pharmaceuticals
Corp., Corixa Corp. and Human Genome Sciences Inc. MDS Nordion is also a world leader in sterilization technology for
medical and consumer products as well as therapy systems for cancer.
For further information, please visit http://www.mds.nordion.com
MDS Nordion is part of MDS Inc., (NYSE: MDZ; TSX: MDS) an international health and life sciences company. In many of
its products and services, it is among the largest and most respected companies in the world. MDS is focused on
advancing health through science. It does this by providing: laboratory testing, imaging agents for nuclear medicine
testing, sterilization systems for medical and consumer products, research services to speed discovery and
development of new drugs, therapy systems for delivery of cancer treatment, analytical instruments to assist in the
development of new drugs, and medical/surgical supplies. MDS employs nearly 11,000 highly skilled people at
its global operations on five continents.
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For further information:
Kirsten Gartenburg,
inmedia Public Relations,
Tel: (613) 234-7227 x230,
Cell: (613) 769-7386,
E-mail: [log in to unmask]
SOURCE: Canada NewsWire (press release), Canada
http://www.newswire.ca/releases/June2003/17/c3849.html
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