AREVA Signs Research Agreement with the University of Cincinnati for New Cancer Treatment

AREVA, through its subsidiary AREVA Med, signed a Research Agreement with the University of Cincinnati (Ohio) to develop a new treatment to combat cancer. As part of the agreement, AREVA will provide the medical-grade isotope Lead-212 to the university to conduct research on alpha radio-immunotherapy using this isotope to treat prostate cancer.

Treatments using a medical-grade Lead-212 isotope produced by AREVA have proved promising in several research efforts under way. Over the past several years, AREVA and its partners have demonstrated significant benefits with Lead-212 using an innovative type of nuclear medicine to combat cancer.

“There is no doubt the nuclear renaissance will also benefit nuclear medicine, and we are honored to partner with the University of Cincinnati in the develop-ment of innovative therapies to combat cancer,” said Jacques Besnainou, CEO of AREVA Inc.

Patrick Bourdet, CEO of AREVA Med added, “This agreement with another great U.S. partner demonstrates AREVA’s commitment to develop new powerful and promising anticancer therapies as soon as possible. It also illustrates the growing interest of the scientific community in creating treatments using AREVA’s medi-cal-grade Lead-212.”

While isotopes such as Lead-212 are very rare, AREVA has put its extensive experience in radiochemistry and nuclear engineering to work to develop new processes to produce Lead-212. As a result of this work, AREVA last month announced plans to build a new medical isotope production facility in southern France.