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news.Covidien has entered into an agreement with the Institute of Atomic Energy in Poland (IAE Polatom) to further diversify Covidien’s supply of Molybdenum 99 (Mo 99) to produce the medical isotope Technetium 99m (Tc 99m). Molybdenum 99 (Mo 99) is an intellectual property of Covidien.
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Reportedly, the company made the announcement two days before the High Flux Reactor (HFR) in Petten, the Netherlands, is scheduled to shutdown for repairs.
Adding the IAE Polatom’s Maria Research Reactor to Covidien’s global supply chain is expected to help Covidien meet the needs of more than one million additional patients in just the first six months after the reactor begins supplying Mo 99.
The processing of Mo 99 is in motion at the company’s Petten facility. The product for commercial use is expected to be available with in 30 days.
Timothy Wright, president of pharmaceuticals at Covidien, said: “We are excited that we will now be working together to provide more than a million patients around the globe with access to a critical medical isotope during this serious shortage.
“This agreement with the IAE POLATOM will help us meet our short- and long-term needs for Molybdenum 99. We look forward to a productive relationship for the benefit of patients around the world.”
Krzysztof Wieteska, director of IAE Polatom, said: “We are pleased to be cooperating with Covidien to use the scientific advancements we have made here at the Institute of Atomic Energy and the Maria Research Reactor to meet the healthcare needs of patients throughout the world at such a critical time.”
However, approval from the FDA is pending for use in the US and from Health Canada for use in Canada.