IBA and Framatome join forces to industrialize Astatine-211 production for cancer therapies

Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium and Paris, France, October 16^th, 7 a.m. - IBA (Ion Beam Applications S.A., EURONEXT), the world leader in particle accelerator technology and radiopharmaceutical production solutions, and Framatome, an international leader in nuclear energy committed, among other activities, to the industrial development of products and services for human health through its Framatome Healthcare brand, today announce the establishment of a joint venture (JV) named Ekalia, with its dedicated logo:

The Ekalia JV is dedicated to deploying an international network of industrial-scale Astatine-211 (²¹¹At) production sites close to customers, making this promising radioisotope available for future targeted cancer therapies. Jointly owned by the two partners, the new company combines IBA’s cutting-edge cyclotron and isotope production technologies with Framatome’s nuclear industrial expertise. Together, the two companies intend to establish a network of production sites across Europe and North America.

Addressing a major challenge in nuclear medicine
Astatine-211 is considered a promising alpha-emitting radioisotope for precision nuclear medicine1. With its favorable half-life, this alpha emitter can deliver highly concentrated radiation over a very short distance, potentially destroying cancer cells, while minimizing exposure to surrounding healthy tissue2. However, translating this clinical potential into patient care requires reliable, large-scale production infrastructure capable of serving as many patients as possible.

Ekalia aims to address this challenge by progressively deploying an international network of industrial Astatine-211 production sites. The first production site is planned in Nantes, France, and is expected to become operational in 2028. Ekalia’s strategy also includes plans for a second pilot site in the United States, followed by the deployment of additional production sites across Europe and the United States to support customers using Astatine-211.

Combining innovation with industrial excellence
Framatome and IBA have already achieved pioneering advances in the field of theranostics3. IBA recently launched the Cyclone® iKure cyclotron, dedicated to the production of Astatine-211. Through PanTera, IBA has also established itself as a leading player in advancing the production of Actinium-225, another key isotope for targeted alpha therapy.

For its part, Framatome’s technology, through its ISOGEN joint venture with Kinetrics, enabled the first large-scale commercial production of the radioisotope Lutetium-177 in a power reactor in Canada in June 2022, ensuring reliable, large-scale access to this essential medical radioisotope for targeted prostate cancer therapy.

Through this alliance, IBA and Framatome are setting new benchmarks in the field of theranostics, reinforcing their commitment to driving innovation and improving global access to life-saving treatments.

A partnership supporting new cancer therapies
Catherine Vandenborre, Chief Corporate and Ventures Officer at IBA, commented: “This joint venture reflects our determination to actively help remove the barriers limiting patient access to innovations in nuclear medicine. By combining our technological leadership with Framatome’s industrial expertise, we are creating the conditions required to make Astatine-211 available at scale and support the development of new cancer therapies.”

François Gauché, Vice President of Framatome Healthcare, added: “Future targeted therapies require reliable, scalable and resilient supply chains. By joining forces with IBA, we are beginning the development of an international industrial production network for Astatine-211 capable of sustainably supporting the growth of this market and the development of innovative treatments for the benefit of patients.”

¹Lindegren et al. EJNMMI Radioph. and Chem. (2026) 11, 15 doi:10.1186/s41181-026-00428-0
²Albertsson P et al; Frontiers in Med (2023),9, 1076210: doi:10.3389/fmed.2022.1076210
³The combination of a radioactive imaging isotope to locate a lesion and a therapeutic isotope to destroy the identified target