New iodine-131 player in market

Iodine-131 is currently being used for the treatment of and diagnosis of various diseases related to the thyroid such as hyperthyroidism and thyroid cancer, and has latterly come to prominence as a source of radiation in a new radiopharmaceutical for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

The total US market for therapeutic radioactive iodine products is estimated to range between $14 and $18 million, but could be heading for growth as a new generation of radiopharmaceuticals for cancer reach the market.

Among them is Bexxar (tositumomab I-131), a drug for NHL launched last year in the US by GlaxoSmithKline and Corixa that is forecast to achieve peak annual sales in the region of $300-$500 million (€250-€410m). Once approved in Europe it will be marketed by Amersham.

International Isotopes completed a supply agreement for this isotope in mid 2003 and since that time has been installing hot cells, amending licensing, training production staff, and putting a customer order and distributor network in place. All of this work has culminated in the launch of commercial sales this week.

In August last year, the company announced the launch​ of lutetium-177 radiochemical sales for clinical research and added several other products to its line of nuclear medicine reference and calibration standards.

Other companies that supply iodine-131 include Amersham Biosciences, PerkinElmer and ICN Biomedicals.