Telix's bid to Expand Access to Cancer Radiopharmaceuticals
Telix Pharmaceuticals recently announced the formation of a new company, Rhine Pharma, designed to enhance global accessibility to innovative radiopharmaceuticals for cancer imaging and treatment.
The strategic move builds on the collaboration between Telix and Heidelberg University Hospital (UKHD) and will leverage cutting-edge radioisotope technology.
Telix, which has a global supply manufacturing and distribution network, is a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to developing and commercialising radiopharmaceuticals for therapeutic and diagnostic purposes.
Based in Melbourne, Australia, Telix has international operations and is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange. Their lead imaging product, gallium-68 gozetotide injection (marketed as Illuccix®), has been approved in the US, Australia, and Canada, with other products in the pipeline.
Innovating radiopharmaceutical solutions
Rhine Pharma's core mission revolves around expanding access to radiopharmaceuticals using two generator-produced isotopes, technetium-99m (99mTc) and rhenium-188 (188Re). These isotopes offer an efficient and versatile cancer imaging and radioligand therapy platform.
Rhine Pharma's foundation stems from developing a PSMA-targeting small molecule that can be labelled with either 99mTc for imaging purposes or 188Re for treatment.
The novel molecule, RHN001, represents the next-generation of theranostics, offering both diagnostic and therapeutic potential in one compound. Rhine Pharma is advancing this molecule through a Phase I/IIa clinical study, dubbed the RHINO Trial, to assess its safety and efficacy in patients with advanced prostate cancer.
Expanding access to hard-to-reach regions
A key feature of Rhine Pharma's approach is using on-site generators to produce 99mTc and 188Re.
The technology could prove transformative in regions where radiopharmaceutical manufacturing infrastructure is limited or where populations are dispersed.
Unlike radioisotopes like lutetium-177 (177Lu) or actinium-225 (225Ac), which require complex, centralised production in reactors or cyclotrons, these generators enable easier, localised production.
Richard Valeix, CEO of Therapeutics at Telix, explains: "Rhine Pharma is an example of identifying an access-to-medicine challenge and then working to fix it.
"Using generators for production could reduce costs and simplify the supply chain. It means the combination of 188Re and 99mTc has potential for addressing unmet needs in cancer treatment for more people, in more countries."
Collaborative innovation at its core
Rhine Pharma's creation aligns with Telix's commitment to innovation and increasing access to essential treatments.
Christian Behrenbruch, Managing Director and Group CEO of Telix highlighted this strategic milestone, stating: "This is an exciting story of collaborative innovation aligned with our values... Spinning off Rhine Pharma makes room in our pipeline for future opportunities and gives Rhine Pharma the focus it needs to succeed."
Rhine Pharma is supported by an esteemed group of Founding Scientific Advisors, including Professors Frederik Giesel, Ken Herrmann, Clemens Kratochwil and Dr. Jens Cardinale.
The company works closely with the Nuclear Medicine Research Infrastructure (NuMeRI), based at the University of Pretoria in South Africa.
Advancing research with the RHINO Trial
The RHINO Trial has received ethical and regulatory approvals in South Africa and is being run under the leadership of Professor Mike Sathekge, CEO and President of NuMeRI.
The trial aims to bring the benefits of precision medicine to a broader audience, especially in regions with limited resources.
"It's only through innovation and collaboration that we can marshal the resources needed to achieve this goal. Partnering with Rhine Pharma on this clinical trial is an exciting opportunity to advance research in this area. We look forward to seeing how RHN001 performs in the clinic."
The future of Rhine Pharma
While a wholly-owned subsidiary of Telix, Rhine Pharma is poised for independence once critical milestones are achieved.
The company's long-term vision is to leverage the unique benefits of 99mTc and 188Re to provide broader, more accessible solutions for cancer treatment worldwide.
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