Ariceum Therapeutics and NorthStar Medical Radioisotopes Announce Supply Agreement for Therapeutic Radioisotope Actinium-225

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Dec 11, 2024, 03:30 ET

NorthStar will supply non-carrier added Actinium-225, a radionuclide, for use with Ariceum's first-in-class radiopharmaceutical drug, satoreotide

BERLIN and BELOIT, Wis., Dec. 11, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Ariceum Therapeutics, a private biotech company developing radiopharmaceutical products for the diagnosis and treatment of certain hard-to-treat cancers, and NorthStar Medical Radioisotopes, LLC, a global innovator in the development, production and commercialization of radiopharmaceuticals used for therapeutic applications and medical imaging, today announced the signing of a supply agreement for the therapeutic medical radioisotope, Actinium-225 (Ac-225).

Under the terms of the agreement, NorthStar will provide Ariceum with non-carrier-added (n.c.a.), high purity, Ac-225, a rare and critical isotope that is in high demand, providing Ariceum with an additional clinical source of supply for its evolving pipeline development programs. Ariceum will use NorthStar's Ac-225 to radiolabel its proprietary peptide (SS0110) satoreotide, a first-in-class antagonist of the somatostatin receptor 2 (SSTR2). Satoreotide is being developed as a 'theranostic pair' for the combined diagnosis and targeted radionuclide treatment of multiple indications expressing SSTR2, such as small cell lung cancer (SCLC), pancreatic cancers, Merkel Cell Carcinoma, and other aggressive cancers.

Manfred Rüdiger, Chief Executive Officer of Ariceum Therapeutics, commented: "Satoreotide is the first Ac-225 labelled antagonist of the SSTR2 receptor targeting SCLC. The compound is scheduled to enter clinical development in the US as part of a transatlantic trial soon. The compound has demonstrated its potential as a Lutetium-177-labelled version in our ongoing Phase 1b clinical study in end stage-SCLC. Based on NorthStar's industry leadership and commercial expertise in cutting-edge, accelerator-based radioisotope production technology, we believe that they are a reliable partner to meet Ariceum's specific needs. In partnership with NorthStar, we look forward to progressing our clinical studies with Ac-225 and accelerating our future commercialization opportunities as we seek to deliver targeted theranostic treatments for patients."

"Ariceum's impressive development portfolio is focused on very aggressive, difficult-to-treat cancers and its early trial results are very exciting," said Frank Scholz, President and Chief Executive Officer of NorthStar. "At NorthStar, our goal is to reduce or eliminate concerns about adequate availability of Ac-225 for clinical trials and patient medicines, which have held back exploration of powerful new pathways to attack these diseases for the millions of patients who today have limited treatment options available. We are proud to use our expertise and capabilities to provide innovative companies like Ariceum with high purity, n.c.a. Ac-225, that will help make potential new treatment therapies a prospect for the benefit of patients."

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.

About NorthStar Medical Radioisotopes, LLC (NorthStar)
NorthStar Medical Radioisotopes is a commercial-stage radiopharmaceutical company at the forefront of advancing patient care by utilizing novel technologies to produce commercial-scale radioisotopes that, once attached to a molecule, have the ability to detect and treat cancer and other serious diseases. NorthStar's expanding industry-leading position in the emerging field of radiopharmaceutical therapy is supported by its unique capabilities in the sophisticated production of radioisotopes, proven management team, and state-of-the-art, environmentally preferable technologies. NorthStar routinely produces copper-67 (Cu-67) and is poised to be the first commercial-scale producer of non-carrier-added (n.c.a.) actinium-225 (Ac-225). The Company's Radiopharmaceutical Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) services unit provides customized service offerings and specialized radiopharmaceutical expertise to help biopharmaceutical companies rapidly advance their development and commercial programs. For more information about NorthStar's comprehensive portfolio and patient-focused services, visit: www.northstarnm.com.