Radiopharmaceuticals
are medicinal formulations containing radioisotopes that are found to
be harmless for humans and can be safely administered for a therapy or
diagnosis. Certain radiotracers (called radiopharmaceuticals), the
chemical compounds with one or more atoms replaced by a radioisotope,
have been traditionally used for imaging disease states and functional
morphology of organs. Unlike other popular imaging modalities such as
magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), ultrasonography (US), and computed
tomography (CT), imaging procedures that use radiopharmaceuticals can
also map metabolic activities and physiological functions, thereby
giving more precise and specific information about function or
dysfunction of an organ or metabolic activity.
Studying the use of radiotracers for
therapeutic purposes had begun immediately after the discovery of
radioactivity, however, it was not until cyclotrons became available for
the acceleration of particles to fabricate radioisotopes that a
significant medical application of radiotracers came into being.
Radioiodine, for instance, was introduced in 1946 for treating thyroid
cancer, and remains till date the most effective method for the
treatment of the condition as well as hyperthyroidism.
Mapping the distribution of a
radiopharmaceutical element in a body provides images of organ functions
in a non-invasive manner and helps diagnose many common health
conditions associated with malfunctioning organs as well as the
detection of certain cancers. The extensive use and rising demand for
imaging techniques that use radiopharmaceuticals are directly
attributable to the enormous development observed in the global market
for radiopharmaceuticals and has led to the availability of a huge range
of specific radiopharmaceuticals.
Market Scenario
Currently, there are more than 100
radiopharmaceuticals in the global market, which are used for the
diagnosis of a variety of diseases and for the therapy of a few,
including cancer. Transparency Market Research, a U.S.-based market
intelligence firm, states in one of its reports that the global radiopharmaceuticals market
will grow at a remarkable CAGR of 18.3% between 2012 and 2018. The
report also states that the market, which had a net worth of US$3.8
billion in 2011, will reach US$12.2 billion by 2018. Canada’s prominence
in the global radiopharmaceuticals market as the largest exporter of
uranium and nuclear technology has led the regional market in North
America towards a position of dominance in the global marketplace.
While the market’s growth prospects
are huge, the market faces a number of challenges that make exploitation
of these opportunities a bit difficult. Elucidated below are some key
challenges that the market for radiopharmaceuticals faces:
Low global production of Radiopharmaceuticals:
Unlike the production of conventional pharmaceuticals, the production
of radiopharmaceuticals still happens on a relatively small scale across
the globe. Implementing the current good manufacturing practices (cGMP)
guidelines in radiopharmaceutical manufacture is also a very difficult
and expensive process. Ensuring cGMP compliances can especially become a
demanding task for small-scale manufacturers.
Complex manufacturing cGMP code compliance:
Manufacturing of radiopharmaceuticals involves taking care of a number
of aspects prior to, during, and after the manufacturing process. It
requires the use of controlled procedures and materials, qualified
personnel to look after the entire process, production in designated
clean rooms, detailed documentation of the process, application of
analytical and validated methods, and the release of the final product
by a qualified person.
Troubles and delays in transportation of radioactive substances:
Transport of radioactive materials is a highly complex matter. Many
troubles and delays, the need for obeying transport regulations, and the
denial of shipment by certain transport bodies often affect the final
use of imported radiopharmaceuticals. Some countries follow the practice
of holding up all the cargo for 24 or 48 hours before loading it on the
plane, for security purposes. This also leads to a negative effect on
the overall properties of radiopharmaceuticals due to radioactive decay
of the substance, especially in radioactive materials of extremely short
half lives.
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