TRIUMFT

wenty-five years ago, the innovative managementteam at Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd. (AECL)recognized the potential of cyclotron-produced

radioisotopes for medical science advancement. Fromthat vision emerged the remarkably successful alliancebetween TRIUMF and AECL. Since the 1950s, AECLhas been producing isotopes using nuclear reactors. In1978, AECL’s Commercial Products Division ap-proached TRIUMF about using its 500 MeV cyclotronto produce other radioisotopes. The result was theflourishing collaborative research and production sitelocated at TRIUMF on the University of British Colum-bia’s campus. Since its inception it has created benefitsfor both medical science and economic growth. In 1979AECL’s Commercial Products Division was renamedthe Radiochemical Company, and 3 years later beganexporting cyclotron-produced isotopes from theTRIUMF site. Two smaller cyclotrons were subse-quently purchased and used exclusively by the AECLfor the commercial production of isotopes. One ofthese was designed and commissioned by TRIUMFstaff. In 1991, AECL privatized its operations under thename Nordion International Inc., which was later ac-quired by MDS Inc., a Canadian-based internationalhealth and life sciences company, and renamed MDSNordion Inc.

MDS Nordion’s headquarters are in Kanata, On-tario. In addition to the TRIUMF site, it has operationsrunning in Belgium (reactor and cyclotron isotope pro-duction, radiopharmaceuticals), Laval, Quebec (re-search, training and testing of cobalt-60 irradiators),Germany (brachytherapy systems and radiography cam-eras), Sweden (devel-opment of computerproducts and soft-ware, and accessoriesfor radiation ther-apy), as well as of-fices in Japan and Hong Kong which serve the PacificRim. Total corporate annual sales are approximately$350 million, over 95% of which are exported to some80 different countries.

MDS Nordion’s Vancouver operation on theTRIUMF site currently employs 50 full-time permanentstaff and 22 contract staff. These 22 contract staff areTRIUMF employees, supported by Nordion on a full-time, cost-recovery basis and they are responsible forthe operation of Nordion’s two compact commercialcyclotrons. To date, the cumulative sales of MDSNordion in Vancouver have exceeded $200 million. Thelicensing agreements between TRIUMF and MDSNordion have resulted in royalties of several million

dollars that TRIUMF has uti-lized as supplementary fundingfor further research, as well asrelated technological activitiesthat support the transfer ofTRIUMF technologies to Ca-nadian industry.

Nordion’s operation atTRIUMF is unique in Canada.In fact, it is one of only a fewsites worldwide that producescyclotron-based isotopes. Ac-cording to the U.S. Institute ofMedicine, there are over 36,000diagnostic medical proceduresemploying radioisotopes per-formed in the United Stateseach day. About 100 millionlaboratory tests using radioiso-topes are performed there eachyear.

MDS Nordion produces

Philip Gardner and Ann Fong

TRIUMF FINANCIAL REPORT 2001 2002 21

MDS Nordion and TRIUMF

Over 20 Years of Successful Collaboration

The TR30 cyclotron, owned and operated by MDS Nordion,for the production of radioisotopes.

Worldwide, it is estimated

that up to 20 million

nuclear medicine imaging

and therapeutic procedures

are performed each year.

TRIUMFthe following radioisotopes under license fromTRIUMF for sale worldwide:

• palladium-103, used for prostate cancertherapy;

• strontium-82, used for high resolution heartimaging to detect coronary artery diseaseand for diagnosing bone lesions;

• thallium-201, widely used as a heartimaging agent;

• indium-111, used in blood cell labeling, asa heart imaging agent and to locatetumours;

• gallium-67, used to detect such conditionsas Hodgkin’s disease;

• cobalt-57, used as a marker to estimateorgan size/location, and for diagnosis ofanaemia related to vitamin B12deficiency;

• iodine-123, used traditionally for thyroidimaging, also currently made into aradiopharmaceutical for neurologicaldiagnosis of Parkinson’s disease,schizophrenia and Alzheimer’s disease, inoncology for cancer imaging (e.g. breastcancer), and in cardiology for imagingcardiac tissue.

Since the 1950s, nuclear medicine has becomean increasingly important and utilized part of pa-tient care. The procedures are generally safe andpainless. Only very small amounts of the radioiso-tope or radiopharmaceutical are needed to diag-nose and treat disease. When introduced into thebody these substances are attracted to specificbones, tissues or organs. Because these substancesare radioactive they decay emitting radiation thatcan be detected using special types of cameras that showthe distribution of the isotope in the body. Both reactor-and cyclotron-produced radioisotopes emit gamma raysbut only the cyclotron produced ones also emit the posi-

trons that are essentialfor PET scans. Theimages so obtainedprovide physicianswith critical informa-

tion on how the body is functioning. This in turn helpsthem to diagnose disease, determine the best course oftreatment, and monitor the progress of the treatment.Current studies at TRIUMF are showing the promise ofusing radioisotopes to treat cancerous growths, result-ing in significantly less trauma to the patient than caused

by the traditional methods.MDS Nordion is the only Canadian supplier of many

of these crucial radioisotopes. Through its licensingagreements with TRIUMF, Nordion has first rights tothe cutting-edge isotope technology originating fromTRIUMF research. This ensures timely disseminationof the technology, while delivering the maximum bene-fit to the Canadian economy.

The demand for radioisotopes has grown each yearas diagnostic techniques and screening capabilities haveincreased. To help satisfy the growing demand,Nordion is investing $20 million to build a new com-mercial cyclotron facility at its TRIUMF site. This newfacility will increase MDS Nordion’s radioisotope pro-duction capacity in Vancouver in order to help meet the

MDS Nordion and TRIUMF

Philip Gardner and Ann Fong

TRIUMF FINANCIAL REPORT 2001 200222

A MDS Nordion technologist preparingradioisotopes at TRIUMF for shipment

In the United states one out of

every three medical patients

undergoes at least one

nuclear medicine test.

TRIUMFever-growing demand for iodine-123and palladium-103. The new cyclotronwill bring with it an extension to thecurrent building that houses the Van-couver MDS Nordion team. Construc-tion began in 2001 and production isexpected to begin in January, 2003. Inaddition to meeting global demandsfor medical isotopes, the new facilitywill create additional opportunities forhigh quality employment. By the year2006, it is projected that there will be53 employees and 31 contract employ-ees, all of them in highly skilled posi-tions.

MDS Nordion is now working atfull capacity to ensure that the demandfor high-priority isotopes is met. Thenew cyclotron will be capable of meet-ing additional demands for these andother existing products. The increase in production andexport will also assist TRIUMF and Nordion in contin-uing their research and development of new cyclotron-

produced isotopes,which will further ad-vance the Canadiannuclear medicine in-

dustry. The improved radioisotope production capabil-ity of Nordion at the TRIUMF site is estimated to pro-vide products for 1,000,000 nuclear medicineprocedures around the world each year.

The synergistic benefits flowing from the long-termrelationship between the TRIUMF universities andMDS Nordion are manifold and well recognized byNordion’s customers. TRIUMF has provided and con-tinues to provide leading-edge research skills to MDSNordion. At the same time, MDS Nordion has intro-duced the concept of the marketplace to TRIUMF staff,as well as the potential social and economic benefits thatcan flow from the practical application of scientific skillsand knowledge.

The success of the TRIUMF-Nordion partnershiphas not been based on any one strategy or set of strate-

gies. It started with a sharing of knowledge and has suc-ceeded because of the level of mutual trust and respectthe two parties have established. Both parties recognisethat, while working together, each must respect the factthat they are two discrete entities and must remain inde-pendent; that the synergy from the relationship lies inthe strength of the other’s difference; and that the col-laboration is a joint effort, where either success or fail-ure affects both parties equally. Further developmentsare under way, with TRIUMF working on new types oftargets, new calibration sources, and cyclotron improve-ments, and with Nordion expanding its radioisotopeproduct line. These developments are aimed at makingstill further advances into the cost-effective productionand delivery of short-lived radioisotopes to the healthcare system.

Looking back, the TRIUMF-Nordion co-operationof the past 25 years has been a major Canadian successstory. As a result of this success, Canada is now one ofthe world’s major suppliers of cyclotron-produced ra-dioisotopes, and the future holds even greater promise.

Philip Gardner is the head of TRIUMF’s Technology Trans-

fer Division. Ann Fong is a Technology Transfer Officer.

Philip Gardner and Ann Fong

TRIUMF FINANCIAL REPORT 2001 2002 23

MDS Nordion and TRIUMF

State of the Nordion facility addition as of May, 2002

There are currently over

100 different medical

imaging procedures in use.