Radiopharmacy Day 2025
The recent Radiopharmacy Day, held on the 21st of March 2025 in Bern at the FOPH, brought together professionals, researchers, and key stakeholders from across the country for a dynamic day of knowledge sharing and strategic discussion.
With excellent participation (80 participants) and a truly collaborative atmosphere, the event reaffirmed the importance of collective engagement in advancing our field. We take the chance to thank the FOPH for hosting our community.
The program featured a series of high-impact presentations of which we are happy to share with you a short summary below:
A study by A. Katrina Mapanao from PSI and colleagues compared two Terbium-149 (149Tb)-labeled somatostatin analogues, [149Tb]Tb-DOTATATE and [149Tb]Tb-DOTA-LM3, for targeted alpha therapy (TAT). Both radiopeptides effectively reduced cell viability and delayed tumor growth in AR42J tumor-bearing mice, leading to improved survival times compared to untreated controls. [149Tb]Tb-DOTA-LM3 showed slightly higher potency, though both analogues demonstrated comparable DNA damage. The treatment was well-tolerated, indicating the potential of 149Tb-labeled peptides for targeted cancer therapy.
A study by E. Gourni from Inselspital and colleagues focused on optimizing FAPI-based radiopharmaceuticals for pan-cancer targeting, examining the impact of varying doses of five [68Ga]Ga-labeled FAPI tracers. The dose escalation study showed that increasing the dose from 10 pmol to 350-600 pmol significantly reduced blood pool uptake while maintaining tumor uptake. The study demonstrated the importance of precise dose administration to improve in vivo performance and FAP selectivity. It was found that FAP expression in various tissues correlated with the biodistribution of the tracers. Proper dosing is essential for successful diagnostics and therapy in FAPI-radiotracers, ensuring optimal clinical outcomes.
The keynote lecture given by R. Mikołajczak, Polatom, "From the Radioisotope Irradiation Site to the Clinics: Challenges and Opportunities," it was a fascinating and comprehensive overview that explores the critical process of translating radioisotope production into clinical applications. It addresses the technical, regulatory, and logistical challenges faced in producing high-quality radioisotopes for medical use. The lecture also highlights the opportunities for improving patient outcomes through innovative approaches, collaboration across disciplines, and overcoming current limitations in the supply chain and regulatory frameworks.
The presentation by M. Nicod Lalonde from CHUV addresses the challenges of performing nuclear medicine examinations on pregnant women, emphasizing the need for thorough clinical justification before proceeding with imaging that involves ionizing radiation. The procedure must balance the clinical benefits for the mother with the potential risks to fetal development. If imaging is necessary, adjustments are made to minimize fetal exposure, in collaboration with medical physicists. Furthermore, the fetal radiation dose is carefully assessed, discussed with the mother, and informed consent is obtained to ensure the patient understands the associated risks.
M. Wuillemin's, b.e. Imaging, presentation covers the 99mTc supply chain, focusing on the production of Mo/Tc generators. It highlights key aspects such as logistics, transport, production, chemistry, and radiation protection. The discussion also includes an examination of past and current challenges in the supply chain for Mo/Tc generators, providing insights into potential future supply situations. This analysis helps to better understand the complexities and bottlenecks affecting the availability of 99mTc, a critical isotope used in nuclear medicine.
The presentation by A. Jordanova and M. Liechti from Swan Isotopen AG outlines the development of GMP-compliant production of 68Ga-labelled radiopharmaceuticals using cyclotron-produced Gallium-68. This innovative process aims to overcome the limitations of the traditional 68Ge/68Ga generator-based production. The approach involves purifying cyclotron-produced Gallium-68 and using it for the radiosynthesis of radiopharmaceuticals in a standard synthesis module. By adhering to the Quality by Design principle and relevant guidelines, Swan Isotopen AG ensures high-quality, large-scale production of these radiopharmaceuticals. The presentation also highlights the challenges faced and progress made in optimizing the process, focusing on both technical and regulatory aspects.
Nicolas Stritt from BAG and Andreas Fürer from Swissmedic presented the news and views from the national regulatory bodies. These appreciated presentations highlight the vital collaboration between the scientific community, industry, and regulators to drive advancements in radiopharmacy while ensuring safety and compliance.
Throughout the day, attendees emphasized the relevance and timeliness of the topics addressed, as well as the importance of maintaining a strong national network to support innovation, quality, and best practices.
The event featured the annual General Assembly, where key updates were presented and members had the opportunity to actively contribute to the strategic direction of the organization.
During the General Assembly the following topics were treated:
- Honorary membership awarded to Peter Koch, former society president, for his outstanding contribution to our society.
- Communication Strategy: present and future.
- News from the AGRR, 31st AGRR / 3rd grpw meeting, September 18 – 20.
- News from the Postgraduate Course / Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS) “Radiopharmaceutical Chemistry / Radiopharmacy”.
- Approval of society financials and election of a new financial auditor.
The Working Group on Radiochemistry and Radiopharmacy organises the yearly meeting that this year will be held in Switzerland. The AGRR Annual Meeting brings together leading minds from Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and beyond, do not miss this opportunity. Find all the information at the following link.
Speaking about continuous education, we would like to mention the CAS in Radiopharmaceutical Chemistry/Radiopharmacy to those who do not know yet the program.
CAS in Radiopharmaceutical Chemistry/Radiopharmacy is a postgraduate program offered by ETH Zurich and partner universities. It equips scientists and pharmacists with essential knowledge in GMP, radiopharmaceutical development, and European regulations—recognized by the EANM (link).
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