Iranian nuclear industry experts have recently restored the operation of a cyclotron used for nuclear medicine, an equipment capable of producing radioisotopes needed for cancer diagnosis and treatment. According to plans, by the end of Iran's seventh development plan in March 2029, the country will have seven such centers to expand domestic supply capacity for medical radioisotopes.

Cyclotrons are a type of particle accelerator that can be used to produce radioisotopes for nuclear medicine and further prepare radiopharmaceuticals. These drugs can be used for the detection, diagnosis, and monitoring of malignant tumors. Information shows that Iran's domestically produced related products include FDG and F-PSMA, which mainly serve nuclear medicine diagnosis and treatment for various cancers.

It is reported that the cyclotron had been out of operation for about 16 years due to technical issues and supply problems for equipment components. After Iranian nuclear industry experts took over, they restored the equipment to operation by using domestically produced components to repair the system. Nuclear medicine expert Amin Mokhtari stated that some key components were unavailable, and the relevant team manufactured replacement parts themselves, getting the equipment operational within two months. Currently, products produced by the equipment have been used for patient diagnosis and treatment.

Mohammad Islammi, chairman of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, stated that the cyclotron has maintained continuous operation after being restored, continuing to produce radiopharmaceuticals and serve patients. The facility can currently produce approximately 1,200 doses of radiopharmaceuticals per month and has become part of Iran's nuclear medicine infrastructure and cancer treatment system.

Islammi also noted that the cost of Iran's domestically produced radiopharmaceuticals is approximately one-tenth of imported similar drugs, helping to reduce treatment costs and strengthen domestic medical supply capacity. Iran plans to expand its cyclotron network to seven centers before March 2029 to increase domestic production of medical radioisotopes and reduce dependence on imported products.

In expanding its nuclear medicine capabilities, Iran is also preparing to launch AlphaZa, a domestically developed alpha-particle radiopharmaceutical for treating advanced cancers that have developed resistance to conventional therapies. Islammi stated that the drug is expected to enter the market in the near future. Meanwhile, Iran currently has 20 new radiopharmaceuticals in the research and development stage, which are expected to enter production within the current Iranian calendar year.

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