Orano Med, a subsidiary of the Orano group with a focus on nuclear medicine, announced on Thursday that its collaboration with Swiss biotechnology company Roche (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY) is entering the next phase, moving pretargeted radioimmunotherapy (PRIT) into clinical development.

The technology pretargets tumours with an antibody that captures chelated lead-212 (212Pb) to selectively target cancer cells, with Orano Med responsible for 212Pb manufacturing in France and the United States.

The collaboration focuses on developing a therapeutic solution targeting the carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), overexpressed in colorectal, pancreatic, gastric, and certain lung cancers. CEA is minimally expressed in normal tissues, making it a suitable target for antibody-based therapies and radioimmunotherapy.

Roche will sponsor a phase 1 clinical trial expected to start in the first half of 2026, marking the first human studies for this PRIT approach.

The initiative represents a broader platform for alpha radioimmunotherapies, reinforcing Orano Med's leading position in targeted alpha therapy development.

The companies' combined expertise in nuclear medicine and oncology aims to address cancers with limited current treatment options.