Key facts
- Novartis' experimental actinium-based drug showed signs of anti-tumour activity in prostate cancer patients.
- In a 101-patient study, 52.5% of patients previously treated with Pluvicto saw PSA levels fall by at least half.
- Response rates were higher in patients who had not received Pluvicto prior.
- The drug uses actinium-225, an alpha-emitting isotope, delivering higher energy over a smaller distance than Pluvicto's lutetium-177.
- Novartis is proceeding with two late-stage studies for the experimental drug.
Novartis is investing heavily in radioligand therapies, a rapidly growing area of cancer treatment. These therapies deliver radiation directly to cancer cells by linking a radioactive isotope to a targeting molecule. The company's experimental drug uses actinium-225, an alpha emitter, which is distinct from its existing drug Pluvicto that uses lutetium-177, a beta emitter. The development comes as other major pharmaceutical companies are also acquiring radiopharmaceutical developers, indicating a competitive landscape.