IBA and Framatome have formed a joint venture, Ekalia, to produce Astatine-211 at industrial scale for targeted cancer therapies. The two companies announced the move on October 16, 2026. Ekalia plans a network of production sites across Europe and North America, close to customers. The first site is planned in Nantes, France, and is expected to start operating in 2028. A second pilot site is planned in the US, followed by more sites in Europe and the US. Astatine-211 is an alpha-emitting radioisotope that can deliver concentrated radiation over a very short distance. It could destroy cancer cells while sparing nearby healthy tissue, but it needs reliable large-scale supply. IBA brings its cyclotron and isotope production technology; Framatome adds its nuclear industrial expertise.

IBA and Framatome join forces to industrialize Astatine-211 production for cancer therapies. October 16, 2026 02:00 ET | Source: IBA SA Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium, and Paris, France, 16 October 2026, 8:00 a.m. - IBA (Ion Beam Applications S.A., EURONEXT), the world leader in particle accelerator technology and radiopharmaceutical production solutions, and Framatome, an international leader in nuclear energy committed, among other activities, to the industrial development of products and services for human health through its Framatome Healthcare brand, today announce the establishment of a joint venture (JV) named Ekalia, with its dedicated logo: The Ekalia JV is dedicated to deploying an international network of industrial-scale Astatine-211 ([211]At) production sites close to customers, making this promising radioisotope available for future targeted cancer therapies. Jointly owned by the two partners, the new company combines IBA's cutting-edge cyclotron and isotope production technologies with Framatome's nuclear industrial expertise. Together, the two companies intend to establish a network of production sites across Europe and North America. Addressing a major challenge in nuclear medicine Astatine-211 is considered a promising alpha-emitting radioisotope for precision nuclear medicine[1]. With its favorable half-life, this alpha emitter can deliver highly concentrated radiation over a very short distance, potentially destroying cancer cells, while minimizing exposure to surrounding healthy tissue[2]. However, translating this clinical potential into patient care requires reliable, large-scale production infrastructure capable of serving as many patients as possible. Ekalia aims to address this challenge by progressively deploying an international network of industrial Astatine-211 production sites. The first production site is planned in Nantes, France, and is expected to become operational in 2028. Ekalia's strategy also includes plans for a second pilot site in the United States, followed by the deployment of additional production sites across Europe and the United States to support customers using Astatine-211. Combining innovation with industrial excellence Framatome and IBA have already achieved pioneering advances in the field of theranostics[3]. IBA recently launched the Cyclone(R) iKure cyclotron, dedicated to the production of Astatine-211. Through PanTera, IBA has also established itself as a leading player in advancing the production of Actinium-225, another key isotope for targeted alpha therapy. For its part, Framatome's technology, through its ISOGEN joint venture with Kinetrics, enabled the first large-scale commercial production of the radioisotope Lutetium-177 in a power reactor in Canada in June 2022, ensuring reliable, large-scale access to this essential medical radioisotope for targeted prostate cancer therapy. Through this alliance, IBA and Framatome are setting new benchmarks in the field of theranostics, reinforcing their commitment to driving innovation and improving global access to life-saving treatments. A partnership supporting new cancer therapies Catherine Vandenborre, Chief Corporate and Ventures Officer at IBA, commented: "This joint venture reflects our determination to actively help remove the barriers limiting patient access to innovations in nuclear medicine. By combining our technological leadership with Framatome's industrial expertise, we are creating the conditions required to make Astatine-211 available at scale and support the development of new cancer therapies." François Gauché, Vice President of Framatome Healthcare, added: "Future targeted therapies require reliable, scalable and resilient supply chains. By joining forces with IBA, we are beginning the development of an international industrial production network for Astatine-211 capable of sustainably supporting the growth of this market and the development of innovative treatments for the benefit of patients." ***Ends*** About IBA IBA (Ion Beam Applications S.A.) is the world leader in particle accelerator technology. The company is the leading supplier of equipment and services in the field of proton therapy, considered to be the most advanced form of radiation therapy available today. IBA is also a leading player in the fields of industrial sterilization, radiopharmaceuticals and dosimetry. The company, based in Louvain-laNeuve, Belgium, employs approximately 2,000 people worldwide. IBA is a certified B Corporation (B Corp) meeting the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance. IBA is listed on the pan-European stock exchange EURONEXT (IBA: Reuters IBAB.BR and Bloomberg IBAB.BB) CONTACTS Thomas Pevenage Investor Relations +32 10 475 890 [email protected] Nathalie van Ypersele Head of Communication and Sustainability Framatome Media Contact [3] The combination of a radioactive imaging isotope to locate a lesion and a therapeutic isotope to destroy the identified target.

Stretching the operating cycles. Standard commercial reactors shut down every 18 months to replace spent fuel rods. Because the new fuel contains a higher concentration of fissile uranium, the reactor can generate heat for longer periods before needing fresh supplies. Plant operators will be able to stretch their operating cycles to 24 months, cutting down on expensive refueling outages and keeping the plant running continuously for longer stretches. The higher enrichment also unlocks higher fuel burnup limits. In nuclear engineering, burnup measures how much thermal energy operators can extract from a given amount of heavy metal. A higher burnup rate means the reactor draws more electricity out of each fuel assembly, generating less waste per megawatt-hour produced. Regulatory and logistical groundwork. The technological leap required years of regulatory and logistical groundwork. Framatome spent four years overhauling its Richland plant to handle the material safely. The site recently secured formal approval from the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to fabricate fuel assemblies with both higher enrichment levels and elevated burnup limits. The project forms part of Framatome's Advanced Fuel Management program. It adapts the company's existing GAIA fuel design, which was originally developed for pressurized water reactors in collaboration with the US Department of Energy's Accident Tolerant Fuel program. "This contract reflects the strength of our long-standing relationship with our customer and our shared commitment to advancing nuclear fuel technology," said Lionel Gaiffe, Senior Executive Vice President of Framatome's Fuel Business Unit. "Collaborating on this milestone project underscores the trust our customers place in Framatome's expertise and the innovative capabilities of our Advanced Fuel Management technology." Modernizing nuclear supply chains. The deal comes amid a broader push to modernize nuclear supply chains across the United States. In August, Framatome joined forces with small modular reactor designer NuScale Power and nuclear startup Curio under a separate preliminary agreement. That project is evaluating whether materials recovered through Curio's NuCycle chemical extraction process can be recycled into commercial fuel for next-generation reactors. Taken together, the two initiatives reflect a clear shift in the nuclear sector. Facing rising clean power demands from industry and data centers, operators are actively seeking ways to extract more energy from existing facilities while developing domestic supplies for the reactors of tomorrow. Get the latest in engineering, tech, space & science - delivered daily to your inbox. You may unsubscribe at any time. An active and versatile journalist and news editor. He has covered regular and breaking news for several leading publications and news media, including The Hindu, Economic Times, Tomorrow Makers, and many more. Aman holds expertise in politics, travel, and tech news, especially in AI, advanced algorithms, and blockchain, with a strong curiosity about all things that fall under science and tech.