Bracco Imaging Launches Blue Earth Therapeutics
As part of its commitment to the field of precision medicine, Bracco Imaging has launched Blue Earth Therapeutics to advance the development of therapeutic radiopharmaceutical technology. Blue Earth Therapeutics is building a pipeline of precision targeted therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals, initially focused on prostate cancer, with plans to expand into additional disease areas in oncology. The company has exclusive worldwide rights to therapeutic applications of radiohybrid Prostate-Specific Membrane Antigen (rhPSMA) radiopharmaceutical technology.
"We are increasingly committed to precision medicine," says Fulvio Renoldi Bracco, Vice-Chairman of the Board & CEO of Bracco Imaging S.p.A., the world leader in diagnostic imaging. "Blue Earth Therapeutics will leverage the support of all Bracco Imaging's global capabilities and complementary portfolio to strengthen its high-value technology platform for innovative therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals, to care for cancer patients around the world. The creation of Blue Earth Therapeutics marks an exciting new direction for us in addressing important unmet needs in patient health."
Theranostic rhPSMA pharmaceuticals have potential utility in both diagnostic imaging and therapy of prostate cancer. They can be labelled with either a diagnostic or a therapeutic radioisotope. If approved, these innovative investigational compounds offer the possibility of personalized medicine for men with prostate cancer by directing therapies specifically to the PSMA disease target.
Blue Earth Therapeutics has developed a highly optimized lead rhPSMA therapeutic compound, with a focus to increase the delivery of therapeutic radiation to kill tumors and minimize radiation exposure to healthy key organs such as kidney and bone marrow. Administering the lowest reasonably achievable radiation dose to normal tissues is a key principle of nuclear medicine, and particularly important when considering that therapeutic PSMA radioligands may be used earlier in prostate cancer disease progression in the future.
"We are very excited to launch Blue Earth Therapeutics during this renaissance of nuclear medicine, with the goal to fulfill the promise of targeted radiopharmaceutical therapy in treating patients with life-threatening disease," says David Gauden, D. Phil., Chief Executive Officer, Blue Earth Therapeutics. "Blue Earth Therapeutics has demonstrable radiopharmaceutical therapy development expertise, and our initial efforts will address the growing patient treatment needs in prostate cancer, where we are currently advancing our flagship, next generation, 177Lu beta-emitting product candidate into clinical trials in the United States and European Union. Initial investment in our company is provided by our founding shareholder, Bracco Imaging, and there are significant shared synergies with our sister company, Blue Earth Diagnostics, which together provide Blue Earth Therapeutics a solid platform for future success. Near-term opportunities for further investment in the Blue Earth Therapeutics portfolio may include additional indications within prostate cancer for our initial product as well as development of alpha-emitting radiotherapeutics and development and licensing of new compounds in other cancer areas."
Blue Earth Therapeutics intends to build a pipeline of precision targeted therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals, initially focused on prostate cancer, and with plans to expand into additional disease areas in oncology. The company is leveraging its radiopharmaceutical development experience, as demonstrated by the rapid success of its sister company Blue Earth Diagnostics, acquired by Bracco Imaging in 2019, to advance its nuclear medicine portfolio and apply its expertise to the world of next generation therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals.