Australia-based Telix Pharmaceuticals has announced the spin-off of Rhine Pharma, which has the mission of expanding global access to innovative radiopharmaceuticals for cancer imaging and treatment using two generator-produced isotopes, technetium-99m (^99mTc) and rhenium-188 (¹⁸⁸Re).

Because ^99mTc and ¹⁸⁸Re can each be produced using on-site generators, they enable a highly-differentiated solution for regions with limited radiopharmaceutical manufacturing infrastructure or dispersed populations. ^99mTc enables imaging of patients with widely available SPECT scanners, while ¹⁸⁸Re has demonstrated potential as a therapeutic isotope, thanks to its high-energy beta emission that maximises damage to tumour cells. Its short half-life (16.9 hours) also has the potential to simplify patient workflows in busy treatment centres with high patient demand or limited nuclear waste management capabilities.