April 7, 2026 – The Canadian Medical Isotope Ecosystem (CMIE) is proud to announce the Sylvia Fedoruk Canadian Centre for Nuclear Innovation (Fedoruk Centre) as the first recipient through its third call for proposals under the CMIE Development Fund (CMIEDF).
The funded program, Actinium-225 production at scale, will receive $500,000 from the CMIE, a grant made possible through support from the Federal Government’s Strategic Response Fund (SRF). The program is focused on expanding Canadian production of Actinium-225 (Ac-225), a next-generation medical isotope used in targeted alpha therapy for cancer treatment.
This initiative builds on a successful collaboration between the Fedoruk Centre, Canadian Nuclear Laboratories, and Actineer, which has already demonstrated their ability to produce Ac-225 in Canada.
This project will significantly expand Ac-225 production capacity by:
- Producing commercial quantities of Ac-225 on low-energy cyclotrons
- Creating a new beamline at the Saskatchewan Cyclotron Facility
- Establishing a High-Power Target Station (HPTS) dedicated to Ac-225 production
- Increasing Ra-226 target mass and leveraging both new and existing beam lines
Together, these advances provide a clear path to increasing Ac-225 production by an order of magnitude over current Canadian production, while continuing to supply material for ongoing medicine development throughout the project.
This investment accelerates Canada to develop world leading Ac-225 production capabilities, improving supply chain resilience, and reinforcing Canada’s leadership in medical isotope innovation. It also lays the groundwork for future infrastructure expansion to meet growing global demand for Ac-225.
“This investment represents a significant step in moving Actinium‑225 from demonstrated capability to scalable, reliable production in Canada,” said Holly Bilton, Executive Chair, CMIE. “By supporting this partnership to expand production on low-energy cyclotrons and build dedicated infrastructure, CMIE is helping to strengthen Canada’s domestic supply chain for next‑generation cancer therapies while positioning Canadian expertise and facilities to meet growing global demand. Strategic investments like this accelerate commercialization, create high‑value jobs, and reinforce Canada’s leadership in medical isotope innovation.”
“The Fedoruk Centre has built a strong foundation of expertise supporting researchers and clinicians across Saskatchewan with the tools needed for advanced medical imaging and nuclear science,” said Dr. Jeter Hall (PhD), Executive Director of the Fedoruk Centre. “The investment from CMIE will expand our capacity to support Canadian Actinium-225 production, right here in Saskatchewan, which will accelerate global development of advanced cancer treatments.”
Over the next few weeks, the CMIE will highlight each funded program and its impact, showcasing the partnerships and innovations contributing to a secure domestic supply of medical isotopes and reinforcing Canada’s leadership in this rapidly advancing field.
About the Sylvia Fedoruk Canadian Centre for Innovation
The Fedoruk Centre is a research centre of the University of Saskatchewan and operator of the province’s only cyclotron facility, playing a key role in placing Saskatchewan among global leaders in nuclear research, development, and training.
The Fedoruk Centre produces radioisotopes and radiopharmaceuticals for daily use in medical imaging at regional hospitals and to support research discoveries in the life sciences. Through consultative services, Fedoruk Centre leadership provides access to information on the benefits and risks of nuclear technology, particularly in the growing energy sector.
About the CMIE
CMIE is an initiative created to accelerate R&D investment, collaboration, technology adoption and training to enable Canada to lead in the innovation of medical isotopes. Through a unique combination of co-investment, cross-industry collaboration, and IP development, we are building a strong medical isotope innovation ecosystem.
We bring together a community of Canadians from industry, academia, and government to advance medical isotopes.