SHINE Technologies
TypeL.L.C.
IndustryRadiopharmaceutical
FoundedJune 2010
FounderGregory Piefer
Headquarters
Janesville, Wisconsin
Websiteshinefusion.com

Shine Technologies (stylized as SHINE Technologies, where "SHINE" originated as an acronym for "subcritical hybrid intense neutron emitter"),[1] formerly named SHINE Medical Technologies, is a private corporation based in Janesville, Wisconsin. As of February 2016, the company was planning to build a facility to produce radioactive isotopes for medical applications.[2][3]

Business model

In 2009, the supply of molybdenum-99 (Mo-99), a precursor to technetium-99m used in more than 30 medical imaging procedures, fell short of demand due to maintenance idling of a pair of research reactors, one located in the Netherlands, forcing doctors to use more dangerous isotopes.[4][5] By 2016, the largest global supplier of the isotope, a Canadian research reactor, was scheduled to go idle.[4][5] In 2010, the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), a part of the United States Department of Energy, began funding a number of method development ventures aimed at ensuring that shortages in the United States could be avoided[5] as well as reducing the use of highly enriched uranium and with it lowering the risk of nuclear proliferation.[6]

SHINE was among a handful of early recipients of funds from the NNSA program and received US$13,900,000 through it as of 2014.[5] The company has also relied on venture capital funding, having secured up to US$125,000,000 from Deerfield Management beginning in October 2014.[5][7]

The 2014 market for medical isotopes was estimated to be about US$600,000,000 per year.[5] Several companies in addition to SHINE were vying for part of this market, and the need for redundancy in production was expected to support a number suppliers beyond the minimum needed to meet current demand.[5]

The company had plans in 2015 to start production-scale generation of isotopes in 2018, having pushed the proposed start date back several times,[8] and it secured a number of supply agreements predicated on this start date.[5][9]

SHINE also secured a US$150,000 National Science Foundation grant in 2014 to develop production methods for Iodine-131, which is used in the treatment of Graves' disease and certain cancers.[10]

Facilities and technology

Original technology for production of Mo-99 was reactor-based and unavoidably produced significant nuclear waste.[4] SHINE developed plans to use particle accelerator technology developed at the University of Wisconsin–Madison by company founder Gregory Piefer.[5][10] The method, referred to as "neutron generator technology", uses helium and free neutrons, produced by colliding a beam of deuterium particles with tritium gas, to bombard low-level enriched uranium targets leading to the production of "useful isotopes with minimal waste".[5] In addition to the diagnostically useful Mo-99, the process can also produce Iodine-131, which is used in medical treatments.[2]

In 2013, SHINE constructed a full-scale prototype particle accelerator at their facility in Monona, Wisconsin, to be used to demonstrate the technology. Eight accelerators would be used at the Janesville facility.[11]

On June 15, 2015, Argonne National Laboratory demonstrated that SHINE's production, separation and purification process could produce Mo-99 which meets purity specifications of the British Pharmacopoeia.[6]

The NRC approved SHINE's construction permit for a facility in Janesville, Wisconsin in late February 2016. If constructed, the facility would still require NRC licensing to operate.[3] In 2014 the facility was originally slated for opening in 2016, and the planned opening was then delayed to 2017.[12] As of February 2016, construction was planned for 2017 with production potentially beginning in 2019.[3]

References

  1. ↑ Chemerisov, S. (April 14, 2014). "Development of the mini-SHINE/MIPS experiments" (PDF). Argonne National Laboratory. doi:10.2172/1132249. OSTI 1132249. Retrieved July 17, 2015.
  2. 1 2 Gallagher, Kathleen (June 30, 2015). "Shine Medical Technologies receives $150,000 National Science Foundation grant". The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved 2015-07-24.
  3. 1 2 3 Newman, Judy (February 25, 2016). "SHINE Medical wins NRC's OK to build medical isotope plant". Wisconsin State Journal. Retrieved February 25, 2016.
  4. 1 2 3 Noorden, Richard Van (December 11, 2013). "Radioisotopes: The medical testing crisis". Nature. 504 (7479): 202–204. doi:10.1038/504202a. ISSN 0028-0836. PMID 24336269.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 LaMonica, Martin (December 18, 2014). "Startups Race to Solve Looming Medical Radioisotope Crisis". Xconomy. Retrieved July 23, 2015. The company has supply agreements in place and plans to build a production plant in Janesville, WI.
  6. 1 2 Cunningham, Greg (June 15, 2015). "Argonne confirms new commercial method for producing medical isotope". Argonne National Lab. Retrieved July 17, 2015.
  7. ↑ Engel, Jeff (October 9, 2014). "Deerfield Pouring $125M Into WI Startup Shine Medical Technologies". Xconomy. Retrieved July 23, 2015.
  8. ↑ Newman, Judy. "Environmental report supports SHINE Medical's plan to build radioisotope plant in Janesville". Wisconsin State Journal. Retrieved July 23, 2015.
  9. ↑ Gallagher, Kathleen (April 3, 2014). "Shine Medical Technologies signs supply contract with GE Healthcare". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved July 23, 2015.
  10. 1 2 Gallagher, Kathleen (September 3, 2014). "Shine Medical Technologies raises $2.4 million". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved July 23, 2015.
  11. ↑ Leute, Jim (February 17, 2013). "Testing 1, 2, 3: SHINE makes progress at demonstration facility". Janesville Gazette. Archived from the original on July 21, 2015. Retrieved July 17, 2015.
  12. ↑ "Financing deal for $125 million brings SHINE Janesville plant closer to reality". The Janesville Gazette. October 10, 2014. Retrieved July 23, 2015.(subscription required)
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