Particle accelerator technology company Ion Beam Applications S.A. (IBA) (Euronext Brussels:IBAB) announced on Friday that together with French nuclear energy company Framatome it has established Ekalia, a joint venture focused on building an international network of industrial-scale Astatine-211 production sites to support the development of targeted cancer therapies.

The venture combines IBA's cyclotron and isotope production technologies with Framatome's nuclear industrial expertise, with plans to establish production facilities across Europe and North America.

Astatine-211 is a promising alpha-emitting radioisotope for precision nuclear medicine, offering the potential to destroy cancer cells while limiting damage to surrounding healthy tissue. Ekalia aims to address the challenge of scaling up reliable production to expand patient access.

The first production site is planned for Nantes, France, with operations expected to begin in 2028. The company also plans a second pilot site in the United States, followed by additional facilities across Europe and the US.

This partnership builds on the companies' experience in medical isotope production. IBA recently launched its Cyclone iKure cyclotron for Astatine-211 production and has advanced Actinium-225 production through PanTera, while Framatome's ISOGEN joint venture with Kinectrics enabled large-scale commercial Lutetium-177 production in a Canadian power reactor in June 2022.