July 8, 2021 – Today, Framatome established a new member of its brand family, Framatome Healthcare. The move builds on the company’s nuclear energy expertise and long-standing commitment in the field of nuclear medicine to advance medical products and services for the healthcare industry.
Complementing its expertise in the nuclear energy industry, and continuing its current efforts in the medical field, Framatome provides a variety of products and services devoted to medical applications and cancer-fighting treatments. Activities under the new brand include work with medical professionals to provide irradiation targets – a byproduct of nuclear technology. Additionally, Framatome designs and produces medical radioisotope activation systems, specialized alloys used in the manufacturing of surgical implants, and industrial and medical sterilization systems.
"By mobilizing Framatome Healthcare, we are strengthening our activities in the field of nuclear medicine and medical equipment,” said Bernard Fontana, CEO of Framatome. “We are proud to be part of the development of a robust supply chain together with our customers, suppliers and partners. We are fully committed to join utilities, research reactor operators, radiopharmaceuticals and healthcare companies, in making important lifesaving medical treatments available to patients around the world."
What is the connection between Framatome and healthcare?
Framatome’s healthcare efforts play a critical role supporting the value chain for the radioisotopes used in radiopharmaceuticals for diagnostic imaging and for therapeutic purposes. CERCA, a division of the Framatome Fuel Business Unit, is the world's leading supplier of uranium fuel and targets for research reactors. The targets, once irradiated in a research reactor and following chemical extraction, enable the production of radioisotopes (Molybdenum-99/Technetium-99m, Xenon-133 and Iodine-131) used in hospitals for the diagnosis and treatment of cancers.
In February 2020, Framatome and Kinectrics announced the launch of Isogen, a joint venture to produce medical isotopes for lifesaving cancer treatment. Isogen specializes in producing medical radioisotopes in commercial Candu power reactors without interrupting safe, reliable, clean energy generation. In partnership with Bruce Power, Isogen produces medical isotopes used to treat and diagnose patients with serious diseases. The first production systems installed by Isogen will produce Lutetium-177, a promising medical radioisotope used in several cancer treatments.
Framatome’s metallurgical processing capabilities enable it to supply manufacturers of surgical implants and prostheses with special alloys.
The company also possesses a wide knowledge in design, layout, and modernization of complex facilities with irradiation sources such as sterilization facilities, essential for the use of medical materials (gamma irradiation).
- More than 20,000 fuel elements and 80,000 uranium-based medical irradiation targets manufactured by CERCA
- 30 million nuclear medicine procedures worldwide out of the 45 million performed each year using these targets
- 180 million euros invested to ensure the sustainability of CERCA's fuel manufacturing activities and new product development in support of research reactors throughout the world
- Several hundred tons of specialized raw materials provided for medical implants
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