Interview conducted by April Cashin-Garbutt, BA Hons (Cantab)
insights from industryDoug Cubbin
Executive Chairman,
ANSTO Nuclear Medicine Pty Ltd
What is the most common radioisotope in nuclear medicine and what is it mainly used for?
Molybdennum-99 is a central part of Australia’s modern medical system, and is by far the most commonly used radioisotope produced by ANSTO. It decays to Technetium-99m, which is potentially lifesaving as it is used in the diagnosis of heart, conditions, as well as diagnostic procedures associated with kidneys, lungs, bone and the liver.
How much domestic demand is there in Australia for Technetium (Tc-99m), the decay product of Molybdenum-99 (Mo-99), and how does this compare to global demand?
ANSTO manufactures almost 100 per cent of Australia’s supply of this critical radioisotope: more than 10,000 doses a week are distributed from our Lucas Heights campus to some 250 hospitals and nuclear medicine facilities around Australia and our region.
Global demand for Molybdenum-99 is strong and growing, as more countries modernise their health systems. It is estimated that around 40 million doses of Tc-99m are produced worldwide every year to deliver advanced, highly accurate medical diagnoses.
Please can you outline the ANSTO Nuclear Medicine (ANM) project, underway at the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO)?
I can, but first let me illustrate the problem we are solving. As I said before, around 40 million doses of this critical nuclear medicine are needed every year, and demand is only increasing. The problem is that the reactors which produce around 70 per cent of this medicine are due to shut down in the next few years. Australia saw the opportunity to step up and help fill this gap, and do so with our nuclear technology which is based on proliferation-proof Low Enriched Uranium. And that’s what we’re doing – once we’re fully operational we’ll be able to supply in the order of 25-30% of global demand.
So with that decision made, and funding secured, we embarked on the ANM project, which is now well underway. The $168.8 million project is supporting in the order of 250 jobs, and essentially has two main elements.
Firstly there is the construction of the new nuclear medicine manufacturing plant, which will dramatically increase ANSTO’s Molybdenum-99 production capacity, compared to the capacity of the current facility at ANSTO.
Secondly, there will be a co-located Synroc waste treatment plant which will deliver a safe way of managing by-products from nuclear medicine manufacture. Synroc is an Australian invention which has dramatic potential to condense and treat radioactive waste so that it is suitable for safe, long-term storage.
How does this project build upon the technology transfer agreement between ANSTO and NTP Radioisotopes SOC Ltd (NTP)?
When initially evaluating the project, a key risk we identified related to processing capability. In short, we want to, as far as possible, mitigate any risk of lengthy delays between start up and moving to full production. The way we did this was through forming a partnership, including a technology transfer agreement, with NTP Radioisotopes SOC Ltd (NTP) of South Africa.
NTP have a long history, and proven track record, of reliably and consistently producing at the scale for which the new ANM project is aiming. This relationship will allow the project to utilise the best of both NTP’s and ANSTO’s technology and experience, and efficiently address any challenges associated with production scale up.
At what stage is this project currently at and when is the planned operational date?
The site is a veritable hive of activity – it’s an extraordinarily exciting time for ANSTO and the broader nuclear community. In terms of construction, the project is now well underway, with thousands of tonnes of concrete and steel in place, and workers on site every day putting together what will be the world’s newest, and I’d argue, best nuclear medicine manufacturing facility. We are anticipating being out of the ground early this year, and the project being completed in early 2016, with the facility ramped up to full capacity by the end of that year.
Once fully operational, what impact will the new Mo-99 manufacturing plant have on ANSTO’s production capabilities?
It will be a significant increase: ANSTO and Australia will go from producing what is fundamentally a domestic supply of Molybdennum-99 and limited international exports, to producing enough to supply 25-30% of global demand, which currently sits at around 40 million doses a year. So to put some numbers around that: we are anticipating going from producing 5-10% of global demand to producing in the order of 25-30% or 10 million doses, depending on demand, perhaps even more. This represents a more than tripling of our current production capacity.
What plans are in place for waste treatment from the plant?
The beautiful thing about the design of this project is that it includes a component to safely and efficiently manage the waste. The co-located Synroc facility will be used to treat, condense, and ‘lock up’ the waste so that it is suitable for safe, long term storage in Australia’s proposed National Radioactive Waste Management Facility. The Australian Government’s Department of Industry and Science is currently leading a process to identify an appropriate location for that national facility, and then will oversee construction and licensing. I understand it is anticipated that this whole process will be wrapped up in the coming years.
What do you think the future holds for nuclear medicine manufacturing in Australia?
The future is bright, and it’s now. In being the one to step up and proactively address what would have otherwise been a world nuclear medicine shortage – and do so with technology that is proliferation proof – Australia has cemented its role as a responsible nuclear nation, and ANSTO has cemented itself as a great partner when it comes to the commercial production of potentially lifesaving medicines. Together Australia’s nuclear expertise and our world-leading medical profession are a formidable team, and I have no doubt that the future will involve new medicines and new production techniques that improves people’s lives.
Where can readers find more information?
The best place to start is our website, which has a lot of information about the ANSTO Nuclear Medicine Project and, more broadly, the types of nuclear medicines produced in Australia. The address is www.ansto.gov.au
About Doug Cubbin
Throughout his career, Doug Cubbin has held numerous executive Financial, Commercial and Operational roles, in industries as diverse as Logistics, Financial Services, Transport, Construction and Telecommunications.
He came to ANSTO as the new CFO in 2005, after having held the position of Group CFO – DHL Logistics – Oceania South Pacific, a circa $1B logistics company, for five years. After commencing with Australia’s centre for nuclear expertise, he assumed the additional roles of General Manager Corporate Services in 2006 and COO in 2007, before moving to a purely commercial role in 2009.
Today Doug is responsible for all of ANSTO’s Business Development and Commercialisation undertakings, MA activities and major commercial investments, and holds a number of associated governance and board positions. He lists his key achievements at ANSTO as follows:
- Leading the team for the new ANSTO Nuclear Medicine Project, overseeing construction and operation of the new Mo-99 processing facility and associated waste treatment plant. His involvement ranged from the original proposal through to the business case, gaining approval from the Board and eventual funding of the project. He currently serves as the Executive Chairman of ANM Pty Ltd and is responsible for the delivery of the project, including operational readiness, commissioning and operation.
- Establishing the Joint Venture with NTP which was launched at Cancun at the World Federation of Nuclear Medicine and Biology in August -2014.
- Licensing technology from ITG of Germany and gaining approval for a $5M investment for the construction and commissioning of a new facility for the production of Non Carrier Added – Lutetium 177, which can be used in the treatment of neuroendocrine tumours.
- Leading the ANSTO and Australian mission at the OECD High Level Group on Medical Radioisotopes since 2010.