Fast-Track Commercialization for Production of ¹²⁵Implant Seeds for Treating Prostate Cancer Named a Top Innovation of 2002

Chicago Sun Times Innovation Award Winner
Council for Chemical Research Award Winner

Luis Nuñez (left) of Argonne and Mike Drobnik of SourceTech Medical (STM) watch as titanium capsules containing radioactive iodine pass through STM's assembly system, where the capsules are manufactured and visually inspected. The chemistry behind the capsule manufacture was developed jointly by STM and Argonne's Chemical Engineering Division. This industry/government collaboration was named one of 2002's top 10 innovations.

SourceTech Medical’s radioactive seeds, used as permanent implants in treating early-stage prostate cancer, are about the size of a grain of rice and contain radioactive iodine (I-125).

Until recently, demand for radioactive medical "seeds" to treat early-stage prostate cancer significantly outpaced worldwide production capacity. Many patients would have to wait several months for the seeds. The founders of SourceTech Medical (Carol Stream, Illinois) recognized that if they could develop a technically competitive seed and a reliable, efficient manufacturing method, there was a tremendous market opportunity.

SourceTech was aware of the capabilities and facilities within Argonne’s Chemical Engineering Division (CMT), and knew of Argonne’s reputation as a leader in the field of nuclear chemistry. The company turned to Argonne for help in developing a new method of producing radioactive "seeds" for use as permanent implants in treating prostate cancer. The seeds are about the size of a grain of rice and contain radioactive iodine (I-125).

Leapfrogging to Production

The company was established in 1998 and entered into a research agreement with the Laboratory. SourceTech’s Michael Drobnik, Director of Manufacturing and a chemist, worked at the Argonne site, collaborating in laboratory experiments with CMT’s Luis Nuñez and Michael Kaminski. This industry/Laboratory team successfully completed investigative work in July 1999. Having access to CMT expertise and facilities gave SourceTech the edge it needed, and the company went from its formation to product offering in approximately two years—roughly half the time it would have taken otherwise in an industry regulated by both nuclear and medical standards.

With its highly automated production process, SourceTech can deliver more than 99% of its orders the next day, and is a leading producer of radioactive seeds to treat prostate cancer. SourceTech’s entry into this market has contributed significantly to an overall increase in seed production, such that prostate cancer patients are now able to receive treatment soon after diagnosis.

A Winning Combination

The work done by CMT and SourceTech Medical was recognized as one of the top 10 innovations of 2002 in the Chicago Innovation Awards, sponsored by the Chicago Sun Times and Kuczmarski and Associates of Chicago. In addition, the Council for Chemical Research, Action Network for Research Collaboration, has recognized the collaboration as an "exemplary success." Such collaborations are publicized to help articulate the success of interactions between the three sectors under increasingly tight budgets, and the resulting benefits to the research community and the country.

The collaboration has been mutually beneficial. According to Luis Nuñez, "The Chemical Engineering Division has been interested in developing its radiochemistry technology in the medical field. Our association with SourceTech Medical has provided a good avenue to achieve both their goals and ours."

SourceTech’s Drobnik says that "Argonne's reputation in the field of nuclear chemistry and its laboratory resources made the Lab an ideal candidate as a collaborative partner. For our small start-up company, working with Argonne was very cost-effective, because we were able to tap into the Department of Energy's expertise and advanced facilities without a lot of up-front spending on expensive laboratory equipment and other overhead items. This was critical in SourceTech getting off the ground quickly."

For More Information

• Joint effort cuts cancer treatment delays

For more information, contact the Chemical Engineering Division (630-252-1858, chemtech@cmt.anl.gov).