Medical isotope firm Shine Medical Technologies and Phoenix Nuclear Labs (PNL) said they have reached a technical milestone with a 24-hour accelerator test that achieved 99% uptime.
The test was a key demonstration of the reliability of PNL's second-generation neutron driver prototype, an important technology for Shine's isotope production facility, the companies said.
Shine aims to become a leading U.S. supplier of molybdenum-99 (Mo-99), a radioactive isotope that enables more than 80,000 medical imaging procedures every day to diagnose heart disease and cancer.
The Shine facility is scheduled to begin commercial production of Mo-99 in 2017 in Janesville, WI. It will operate up to eight PNL drivers simultaneously to supply more than half of total U.S. Mo-99 demand, according to the companies.
