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Lutetium is a soft, silvery rare-earth metal and one of the least abundant of the rare-earth elements in the Earth's crust. Lutetium-177 is a synthetic radioisotope produced for medicine, with a half-life of about 6.7 days.
Lutetium-177 is a medium-energy beta emitter that delivers radiation over a short range, targeting tumour cells while causing minimal injury to surrounding healthy tissue. It also emits a small amount of gamma radiation, which allows the same dose to be imaged and tracked, supporting precise treatment planning and dosimetry.
This combination has allowed lutetium-177 to become an established workhorse of targeted radionuclide therapy. It is used in peptide receptor radionuclide therapy for neuroendocrine tumours and in PSMA-targeted therapy for advanced prostate cancer, linked to targeting molecules that carry it directly to cancer cells.
Lutetium-177 is primarily produced via neutron irradiation in nuclear reactors. It has previously relied on ageing research reactors but, more recently, target irradiation is performed at nuclear energy facilities, such as CANDU reactors in Canada.
StandardX is developing accelerator-based production to strengthen supply and reduce dependence on international supply chains.