Major Clinical Breakthrough at the Centre de recherche du CHUS in Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada - A Clinical Study Demonstrates That Technetium Produced in a Cyclotron Is Equivalent to That Produced in a

Sherbrooke, Quebec (ots/PRNewswire) -

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http://cr.chus.qc.ca/cyclotron-crchus #cyclotronCRCHUS

Researchers at the Centre de research du Centre hospitalier
universitaire de Sherbrooke (CRCHUS) unveiled today the results of a
clinical study demonstrating equivalency between cyclotron-produced
technetium (Tc-99m) and that produced in a nuclear reactor. The
result of many years of research, this major clinical breakthrough
will significantly affect the quality and safety of care delivered to
patients. Based on the study's findings, not only are the CRCHUS's
medical-imaging research positioned as leaders in this area, they are
demonstrating that tomorrow's supply of medical isotopes can be
produced with a promising green technology.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150216/731094 )

On hand for the announcement were the Minister of Natural
Resources Canada, the Honourable Greg Rickford, and the MNA for
Saint-François, Guy Hardy, representing the Honourable Gaétan
Barrette, the Minister of Health and Social Services.

"We are proud to present the preliminary results of this clinical
study carried out in patients with thyroid disorders," stated Éric E.
Turcotte, MD, nuclear-medicine physician at the CHUS,researcher at
the CRCHUS and Professor in the Université de Sherbrooke's Faculty of
Medicine and Health Sciences. "We received Health Canada's approval
for this study in July 2014. The images for the first patient were
taken in September 23, 2014; to date, a total of eleven patients have
been injected with cyclotron-produced Tc-99m in the context of a
medically indicated diagnostic testing. I want to thank them for
having consented to take part in our study and having participated
with such enthusiasm."

Dr. Turcotte views the results as conclusive. "The images obtained
with Tc-99m produced by our cyclotron are equivalent to those
produced with Tc-99m from a nuclear reactor. They enabled us to make
accurate diagnoses. As expected, none of the patients experienced
side effects. We now intend to use this Tc-99m for more complex
nuclear-medicine tests, in particular, assessing myocardial
contractility and possibly ventilation studies in investigating
pulmonary embolism."

Promising Green Technology

Tc-99m is used in more than 85% of nuclear-medicine diagnostic
tests, such as cardiac imaging, bone scintigraphy to detect cancers,
and many other tests to determine the functioning of various organs.
The worldwide demand for Tc-99m is currently estimated at about 40
million doses per year, but scientists predict a 15% increase over
the next ten years due to the aging of our populations. This means
that the future supply of medical isotopes must be ensured.

Cyclotron-production of Tc-99m can offset these needs. The process
does not produce nuclear waste, making it a promising green
technology. It is also less expensive compared to the investment
required to build a nuclear reactor.

"We have to bank on this technology, especially since the five
main nuclear reactors producing close to 80% of the Tc-99m needed
worldwide have been in service for more than 50 years (see below).
Several are approaching the end of their service lives," explained
Dr. William D. Fraser, Scientific Director of the CRCHUS and
Professor at the Université de Sherbrooke's Faculty of Medicine and
Health Sciences. "The expected closure of some reactors in the near
future will impact on the supply chain, and we must be ready to
respond to the growing need for patient diagnostic tests."

The Honourable Greg Rickford, Canada's Minister of Natural
Resources is delighted with this achievement "The announcement of
today's latest breakthrough in medical isotope production is
outstanding news. We congratulate the Centre de recherche du CHUS in
Sherbrooke and the University of Alberta on this impressive
milestone. Our government's investment in scientific research is
resulting in the production of a reliable, daily supply of
life-saving medical isotopes while supporting high-quality jobs here
in Quebec and across Canada."

"This technology will eventually make it possible to produce
isotopes on a larger scale to supply our hospitals," stated Guy
Hardy, MNA for Saint-François, conveying the thoughts of the
Honourable Gaétan Barrette, the Minister of Health and Social
Services. "It could also extend to other research centers and
university establishments with cyclotrons, which would increase the
autonomy of our health-care system with respect to isotopes,
significantly benefiting the province's population," further related
Mr. Hardy, who represented the minister at the press conference.

Marketing Tc-99m in Quebec

This clinical study represents an initial critical step towards
marketing Tc-99m," stated Brigitte Guérin, researcher at the CRCHUS
and Professor in the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at the
Université de Sherbrooke. "We have demonstrated the process's
feasibility and confirmed the bioequivalency of Tc-99m produced in a
high-performance cyclotron compared to that produced in a nuclear
reactor. Our efforts are currently focused on implementing production
on a larger scale and a system for distributing isotopes to regional
and provincial hospitals in 2016."

On hand for this announcement, the Chair of the CHUS Board of
Directors, Jacques Fortier, saluted the expertise and leadership of
researchers at the CRCHUS and the Université de Sherbrooke. He went
on to say : "Today, our researchers are pushing back the boundaries
of science. They are showing us that basic science research, when
translated into clinical care can result in tangible benefits for
patients. Through to this scientific breakthrough, the CHUS and
CRCHUS have taken the lead necessary to remain competitive nationally
and internationally. In this regard, support from the Quebec and
Canadian governments will be essential in maintaining our leadership
in this field."

This project was made possible through a grant from Natural
Resources Canada, which invested $2.9M in the CRCHUS via the Isotope
Technology Acceleration Program (ITAP). This funding was complemented
by $600,000 from the Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux du
Québec (MSSS), $400,000 from the Fondation du CHUS, and $70,000 from
the MITNEC (Medical Imaging Trial Network of Canada) consortium
funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). The ITAP
project is being conducted at the CRCHUS in collaboration with a team
of researchers from the University of Alberta and Advanced Cyclotron
System Inc., a cyclotron manufacturer.

The CRCHUS researchers have access to two cyclotrons for producing
medical isotopes, namely, a TR-19 (19 mega-electrons volts or MeV)
and a TR-24 (24 MeV) with higher output used to produce Tc-99m. This
array of equipment stands out internationally in the field of medical
imaging.

About the Five Nuclear Reactors

- NRU, Chalk River (Ontario, 1957)
- OSIRIS (France, 1966)
- Petten HFR (Netherlands, 1961)
- BR2 (Belgium, 1961)
- SAFARI (South Africa, 1965)

About the CRCHUS

An approach combining fundamental, clinical, epidemiological, and
evaluative research is the distinguishing feature of the Centre de
recherche du CHUS (CRCHUS). Some 220 top researchers and their teams
devote their efforts to six research axes, which address major health
concerns: Cancer: biology, prognosis, and diagnosis | Diabetes,
obesity, and cardiovascular complications | Health: populations,
organization, practices | Inflammation - Pain | Medical imagery |
Mother and child. The CRCHUS provides ground-breaking scientific and
technological leadership nationally and internationally. Its
breakthroughs invariably result in improved care and services.

About the CHUS

Quebec's fourth largest hospital, the Centre hospitalier
universitaire de Sherbrooke (CHUS) has a triple role. It is the local
hospital for residents of the Sherbrooke, Haut-Saint-François,
Val-Saint-François, and Coaticook regions. It also provides
specialized and ultra-specialized care to the entire population of
the Eastern Townships. In addition, it provides specific
ultra-specialized care, notably in cardiology, neurosurgery,
oncology, and neonatology, to residents of the Centre-du-Québec and
part of the Montérégie regions. Its niches of excellence are:
cerebral chemotherapy through the transient opening of the
blood-brain barrier, neurosurgery using the gamma knife, advanced 3-D
MRI-guided neurosurgery, colorectal cancer screening, and the
cyclotron production of radioisotopes (at its research centre). Some
10 000 people at the CHUS are dedicated to the health and well-being
of the population.

Sylvie Vallières, CHUS, +1-819-346-1110, extension 22572 or
+1-819-679-0705, svallieres.chus@ssss.gouv.qc.ca; Nathalie Poirier,
CRCHUS, +1-819-346-1110, extension 12871,
napoirier.chus@ssss.gouv.qc.ca ; http://cr.chus.qc.ca,
http://facebook.com/crchus, http://twitter.com/_crchus

Photo:
http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150216/731094

ots Originaltext: Centre hospitalier Universitaire de Sherbrooke
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