Roundtable sparks debate on urgent need to deliver on the promise of radioligand therapies

Radioligand therapies are emerging as an innovative form of precision nuclear medicine with the potential to significantly improve the lives of cancer patients. In a collaborative effort, Novartis ANZ joined forces with Queensland Health at The University of Queensland to hold a roundtable discussion focused on the implications of these pioneering treatment for patients in Queensland and the broader radiopharmaceutical industry.

At this event, the Bench to Bedside report – independently authored by consultancy Evohealth – was officially launched. Queensland policymakers convened alongside industry leaders, academic experts, and patient advocates from the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia (PCFA) to explore the vast potential of radioligand therapies and strategies for enhancing cancer care.

Matt Zeller, Country President Novartis Australia and NZ commented “Radioligand therapies have the potential to extend lives and help cancer patients live better. With around 225 clinical trials underway globally to evaluate radioligand therapy in various cancers, including prostate, lung, breast, pancreatic and colon, the number of patients eligible for treatment is expected to grow exponentially in the coming years.

“So, it was great to be able to come together with stakeholders from the Queensland healthcare ecosystem talk about the potential role of these treatments and how we might work together to improve outcomes for cancer patients, now and in the future.”

Professor Kris Thurecht, Director of Research at The University of Queensland’s Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN) and leader of the Advanced Manufacture of Targeted Radiopharmaceuticals (AMTAR) hub, highlighted the crucial role of radiopharmaceuticals in alleviating the side effects of conventional cancer treatments.

“The medical technology is still very much in development, but radiopharmaceuticals already represent a multi-billion-dollar industry that will be integral to modern healthcare,” remarked Professor Thurecht.

Professor Thurecht emphasised the limitations of traditional cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy, which often lack specificity and can inadvertently harm healthy cells.

“But radiopharmaceuticals offer a highly targeted approach, sending radiation-equipped proteins directly to the site of cancers and minimising the impact on the body,” he explained.

He elaborated, “Radiopharmaceutical science has been around for decades, but it is only through recent advances in scientific infrastructure and instrumentation that we’ve been able to conceive and create commercially viable products.”

A recently released discussion paper, developed by MTPConnect and supported by Novartis and other partners, reveals Australia’s readiness to take the lead in the burgeoning global radiopharmaceutical industry, as advanced therapies drive substantial investment and expansion.

Novartis has established radiopharmaceuticals as a cornerstone of its oncology portfolio, highlighted by the recent TGA registration of Pluvicto (lutetium 177Lu vipivotide tetraxetan). However, a significant barrier remains with a lack of government funding for broader and equitable patient access.

Hailed as a game-changer for late-stage prostate cancer, Pluvicto is now showing promise for dramatically improving outcomes in earlier stages of the prostate cancer, according to a new Peter Mac-led study. The trial’s “remarkable” results were unveiled at the ESMO (European Society for Medical Oncology) Congress 2024.

Prostate cancer stands as the most diagnosed cancer among Australian men and across the population at large, with an estimated 25,500 cases and over 3,700 deaths reported nationally in 2023 alone. This statistic translates to approximately 70 new diagnoses and 10 fatalities each day. Currently, around 250,000 men are living with prostate cancer in Australia, with projections indicating that this number could rise to 372,000 by 2040.

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