FIRM project is aimed at the development of an industrial sector producing innovative radioisotopes for medical use. Coordinated by the radiopharmaceutical company AAA (St Genis Pouilly-01), FIRM brings together five industrial and academic partners, i.e. AAA, Triskem-Bruz-35 on the one hand and GIP Arronax-St Herblain, Nantes-Subatech, and Laue Langevin Institute-Grenoble on the other. These partners will work together within two competitive clusters (Atlanpole Biotherapies and Lyonbiopole) in order to:
- to produce innovative radioisotopes by bringing out existing infrastructures e.g. Arronax cyclotron, nuclear reactor of the Laue Langevin Institute and to implement a new industrial production facility (St Genis Pouilly);
- to develop related technologies, in line with international recommendations and standards for separation and purification methods.
The realisation of these aims will ensure and secure a broader medical isotopes offer. On an expenditure base of 15 million euros, FIRM has received a financial assistance from the State to the tune of 10 million euros which include 6.3 million euros (63%) for members of Atlanpole Biotherapies cluster.
Because such risky investments are out of the reach of SMEs, support of public authorities via the PSPC is an important incentive to accelerate innovation and improve world competitiveness and visibility of those involved in the radiopharmaceutical sector.
Focus on the eligibility criteria for PSPC projects:
- Projects should aim for direct economic and technological benefits in the form of new products, services and technologies, and indirect benefits in terms of sector sustainable structuring;
- they may include industrial research phases and earlier phases of experimental development, prior to their placing on the market;
- they must present a budget for their work which is strictly over € 5 million and may reach or exceed 50 million euros;
- they have to involve at least two companies and one public research laboratory or training organization.