BETHESDA, Md., Oct. 20, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AREVA announced today that its nuclear medicine subsidiary, AREVA Med, has acquired Macrocyclics, Inc.
AREVA Med has developed innovative methods for producing lead-212 (212Pb), a rare radioactive isotope at the heart of promising research projects in nuclear medicine to develop new treatments against cancer.
Macrocyclics, based in Dallas, Texas, is the world leader in the production of chelators*, chemical agents that allow for the attachment of antibodies or proteins with radioactive isotopes for the development of powerful nuclear medical treatments targeted against aggressive types of cancer.
"This strategic acquisition allows us to be in a unique position in the global marketplace. As a result, we can now offer new technology for attaching our isotope to antibodies targeting cancerous cells," said Patrick Bourdet, President and CEO of AREVA Med. "The experience and the outstanding know-how of the Macrocyclics team, together with that of AREVA Med, will allow us to target more diseases and accelerate the development of radioimmunotherapy treatments using AREVA's lead-212," added Bourdet.
"The acquisition of our company by AREVA Med comes at an ideal time when the therapeutic power of lead-212 has been proven. By bringing our expertise with chelators to the unique competencies of AREVA Med, we will develop new powerful and targeted treatments for patients. With AREVA Med's support, we will be able to offer an even broader range of services to our clients," added Garry Kiefer, CEO of Macrocyclics.
In January 2011, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) gave AREVA Med authorization to begin clinical trials for a new medicine using lead-212 to combat particularly aggressive types of cancer.
The development of new treatments in nuclear medicine is limited by the availability of isotopes. AREVA is building a new facility, the Maurice Tubiana Laboratory, to produce large-scale quantities of medical-grade lead-212 in the Limousin region of France.
For more information, please visit: www.areva.com, www.arevamed.com and www.macrocyclics.com
*A chelator is a "molecular cage" used to attach isotopes to monoclonal antibodies.
MORE ABOUT AREVA MED
AREVA Med is an AREVA subsidiary specializing in the development of innovative therapies to fight cancer. AREVA Med has developed new processes for producing high purity 212Pb, a rare radioactive isotope that is currently at the heart of promising nuclear medicine research to develop new treatments against some of the most aggressive forms cancer. AREVA Med is associated with world-class scientific partners, such as the National Cancer Institute, the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), the University of Cincinnati in Ohio, and the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research (Inserm). www.arevamed.com
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