On May 28, 2026 QSA Global, Inc., a global leader in specialized radioactive source manufacturing and medical radiochemical services, and NorthStar Medical Radioisotopes, LLC (NorthStar), a leading radiopharmaceutical company, reported the execution of a multi-year strategic services agreement. This partnership is designed to solidify the supply chain for radium-226 (Ra-226) targets, the starting material for Actinium-225 (Ac-225) production, and further supports NorthStar’s commercial-scale production of no carrier added (n.c.a.) Ac-225 used in next-generation Targeted Alpha Therapies (TAT).
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The partnership combines QSA Global’s decades of specialized experience in high-activity source handling, industrial regulatory compliance, and logistics with NorthStar’s innovative approach to commercial-scale radiopharmaceutical production. It features a multi-year purification campaign where QSA Global will process legacy Ra-226 on behalf of NorthStar, transforming the material into high-purity precursors that will directly feed continuous target capsule manufacturing. Following irradiation and processing by NorthStar to produce n.c.a. Ac-225, the recovered radium will be returned to QSA Global for recycling into new targets – establishing a highly efficient, closed-loop supply chain.
"This multi-year agreement with QSA Global strengthens our supply chain with a reliable, high-quality supply of Ra-226 targets critical to our n.c.a. Ac-225 production capabilities," said Dr. Frank Scholz, President & CEO of NorthStar. "By ensuring consistent access to these vital starting materials, we can confidently meet growing demand within the industry."
"By managing the complex, highly regulated lifecycle of radium-226, QSA Global enables partners like NorthStar to focus their resources entirely on commercial Actinium-225 production," said Joe Lapinskas, Innovation Director at QSA Global, Inc. "NorthStar was a foundational partner as we developed our specialized radium services. We are proud to leverage our decades of high-activity radioactive materials expertise to help secure this critical supply chain and support NorthStar’s mission of delivering life-saving TATs to patients."
About Ac-225
NorthStar has been successfully producing n.c.a. Ac-225 using an indirect manufacturing approach that combines electron-accelerator irradiation of a Ra-226 target, followed by purified Ra-225 sources that constantly in-grow n.c.a. Ac-225. Ac-225 is an alpha-emitter, which belongs to a powerful class of radioisotopes that deliver high-energy, highly localized radiation directly to diseased cells. Ac-225 can be attached to a variety of targeting molecules, including antibodies, peptides, and small molecules, enabling precise delivery to cancer cells. This versatility makes isotopes like Ac-225 particularly valuable in supporting the development of next-generation radiopharmaceutical therapies that are highly effective and selective.
(Press release, NorthStar Medical Radiostopes, MAY 27, 2026, View Source [SID1234666185])