International Isotopes in conjunction with the University of Missouri Research Reactor (MURR), announced it has recently received its first commercial shipment of I-131 from MURR.
"Supplying I‑131 is part of a strategic initiative by the University of Missouri and MURR to address medical isotope shortages and further the University's research mission," said David Robertson, executive director of MURR.
I-131 sodium iodide became the first FDA-approved radiopharmaceutical in 1951, and is one of the most widely used radiopharmaceuticals in the United States. The isotope's unique properties enable both diagnostic imaging and the treatment of thyroid cancer and hyperthyroidism. Since the thyroid gland naturally absorbs iodine, I‑131 can be targeted directly to thyroid tumors to remove cancerous tissue and treat the disease. According to the American Cancer Society, thyroid cancer is "the most rapidly increasing cancer in the U.S.," with diagnoses tripling in the last three decades. There will be an estimated 53,990 new cases of thyroid cancer in the U.S. in 2018 with an estimated 2,060 deaths from the disease, according to the National Cancer Institute.
"Having MURR as a domestic producer of I-131 provides a much higher level of stability and reliability in the U.S. for this important isotope," INIS President and CEO Steve Laflin said. “INIS has been supplying I-131 throughout the U.S. for nearly 15 years using only foreign sources of supply. We are pleased to have an opportunity to enter into a long-term supply agreement with MURR, and INIS plans to utilize MURR as one of our major suppliers for I-131 in the future.”