Eckert & Ziegler and Ariceum Therapeutics Forge Global Supply Agreement for Critical Medical Radionuclides

Eckert & Ziegler and Ariceum Therapeutics Forge Global Supply Agreement for Critical Medical Radionuclides

(IN BRIEF) Eckert & Ziegler and Ariceum Therapeutics have signed a global supply agreement for critical medical radionuclides Actinium-225 (Ac-225) and Lutetium-177 (Lu-177). The radionuclides will be used in Ariceum’s lead radiopharmaceutical drug, satoreotide, targeting hard-to-treat cancers such as small cell lung cancer and Merkel cell carcinoma. This partnership ensures a reliable supply chain for clinical trials and future commercialization, addressing the growing demand for Ac-225 amid global shortages. The collaboration underscores both companies’ commitment to advancing innovative treatments for cancer patients through targeted radiopharmaceuticals.

(PRESS RELEASE) BERLIN, 5-Dec-2024 — /EuropaWire/ — Eckert & Ziegler, one of the world’s foremost providers of isotopes for medical, scientific, and industrial applications, has entered into a global supply agreement with Ariceum Therapeutics, a private biotechnology company focused on developing radiopharmaceuticals for diagnosing and treating hard-to-treat cancers. The partnership centers on the supply of the medical radionuclides Actinium-225 (Ac-225) and Lutetium-177 (Lu-177).

Amid a backdrop of limited global availability and rising demand for Ac-225—complicated by its challenging manufacturing process—this collaboration represents a significant step forward in accelerating Ariceum’s innovative pipeline of targeted radiopharmaceutical programs.

Under the terms of the agreement, Eckert & Ziegler will furnish Ariceum with the necessary quantities of non-carrier-added (n.c.a.) Ac-225 and Lu-177. These radionuclides will be employed to radiolabel Ariceum’s proprietary lead radiopharmaceutical drug, satoreotide (SS0110), which targets hard-to-treat cancers in clinical studies and future commercial phases. The agreement also provides options to expand the collaboration to other drugs and additional radionuclides in anticipation of upcoming commercialization activities.

Dr. Harald Hasselmann, Chief Executive Officer of Eckert & Ziegler, remarked: “By collaborating with Ariceum, we support their mission to develop innovative radiopharmaceuticals that benefit patients. Our recent initiation of Ac-225 production and the successful European approval of Theralugand® underscore our commitment to sustainably reducing the shortage of high-quality radioisotopes. We aim to facilitate the advancement of novel treatments in clinical trials and beyond, thereby contributing to saving lives.”

Manfred Rüdiger, Chief Executive Officer of Ariceum Therapeutics, added: “This important global supply agreement with Eckert & Ziegler for n.c.a. Ac-225 and Lu-177 will ensure we have an adequate supply of radionuclide isotopes to conduct our clinical trials. We look forward to working with the Eckert & Ziegler team to build a robust supply chain and reliably deliver targeted theranostic treatments for patients with hard-to-treat cancers. Our lead radiopharmaceutical drug, satoreotide, is a first-in-class antagonist of the somatostatin receptor 2 (SSTR2) labeled with Ac-225, and it will soon enter clinical development for small cell lung cancer and Merkel cell carcinoma.”

About Eckert & Ziegler SE
Eckert & Ziegler SE, with more than 1,000 employees, is a leading specialist in isotope-related components for nuclear medicine and radiation therapy. The company offers a broad range of services and products for the radiopharmaceutical industry, from early development work to contract manufacturing and distribution. Eckert & Ziegler SE shares (ISIN DE0005659700) are listed in the TecDAX index of Deutsche Börse.

Contributing to saving lives.

About Ariceum Therapeutics, GmbH
Ariceum Therapeutics (Ariceum) is a private, clinical stage radiopharmaceutical company focused on the diagnosis and precision treatment of certain neuroendocrine and other aggressive, hard-to-treat cancers. The name Ariceum is an anagram of ‘Marie Curie’ whose discovery of radium and polonium have been huge contributions to finding treatments for cancer.

Ariceum’s lead targeted systemic radiopharmaceutical product, 177Lu-satoreotide tetraxetan (“satoreotide”), is an antagonist of the somatostatin type 2 (SSTR2) receptor which is overexpressed in neuroendocrine tumours (NETs) and some aggressive cancers such as small cell lung cancer (SCLC), or Merkel Cell Carcinoma (MCC), all of which have few treatment options and poor prognosis. Satoreotide is being developed as a ‘theranostic pair’ for the combined diagnosis and targeted radionuclide treatment of these tumours. Ariceum is also developing a radiolabelled PARP-inhibitor (ATT001), currently in Phase 1 clinical development under the trial name CITADEL-123. ATT001 was part of the acquisition of Theragnostics Ltd which was closed in June 2023.

Ariceum Therapeutics, launched in 2021, acquired all rights to Satoreotide from Ipsen. Ipsen remains a shareholder in the Company. Ariceum is headquartered in Berlin, with operations in Germany, Switzerland, Australia, United Kingdom and United States of America and with activities currently across the globe.

Ariceum is led by a highly experienced management team and supported by specialist investors including EQT Life Sciences (formerly LSP), HealthCap, Pureos Bioventures, Andera Partners and Earlybird Venture Capital. For further information, please visit  www.ariceum-therapeutics.com.

Media Contacts:
Eckert & Ziegler SE:
Robert-Rössle-Str. 10, 13125 Berlin, Germany
Jan Schöpflin, Marketing / Karolin Riehle, Investor Relations
jan.schoepflin@ezag.de/ karolin.riehle@ezag.de
Tel.: +49 (0) 30 / 94 10 84-138; www.ezag.com

Ariceum Therapeutics:
Manfred Rüdiger, CEO
info@ariceum-therapeutics.com

Optimum Strategic Communications
Zoe Bolt Charlotte Hepburne-Scott, Elena Bates
Tel: +44 (0) 20 3882 9621
ariceum@optimumcomms.com

SOURCE: Eckert & Ziegler SE