Getting There  HSC College of Pharmacy   The College of Pharmacy at UNM was the birthplace of Commercial Radiopharmacy in the 1970's

Nuclear Pharmacy by Cathleen Rineer-Garber Radioisotopes are isotopes, which spontaneously emit radiation. Around the turn of the 19th Century, French scientists discovered their medicinal value and began using radioisotopes to treat cancer. Today, the use of radioisotopes has become a routine part of health care. In fact, a separate branch of medicine, called nuclear medicine, has developed around the use of radioisotopes and pharmaceuticals based on radioisotopes. Diagnostic radiopharmaceuticals—radioactive drugs that detect diseases—are used to examine blood flow to the brain, functioning of the liver, lungs, heart or kidneys, and to assess bone growth. These diagnostic procedures that utilize radiopharmaceuticals, such as CT scans and Positron Emission Tomography (PET), are used on a daily basis at health care facilities around the world. In addition to their use in diagnostics, radiopharmaceuticals are effective tools in the treatment of numerous diseases. In many cases, they are also proving to be far more cost effective than conventional drug therapies. In today’s world of ever-increasing health care costs, radiopharmaceuticals have become a very attractive alternative. “New trends in the pharmaceutical industry, availability of iosotopes, demonstrated cost-effectiveness and improvements in patient outcomes has created a new opportunity for UNM,” says John Pieper, PharmD, Dean of the UNM College of Pharmacy. “There’s a new level of excitement about radiopharmacy.” “This level of excitement hasn’t existed at UNM for some 30 years,” says Pieper. The College of Pharmacy at UNM was the birthplace of commerical radiopharmacy in the 1970s and the field generated a great deal of enthusiasm. But, over time, the excitement declined due to several factors including a shortage of isotopes. “Now, UNM and the state of New Mexico have the opportunity to re-emerge as a national leader in this field,” he says. Pieper, in partnership with several other New Mexico based organizations including Los Alamos National Laboratories, Technology Commercialization, Inc., and Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute has developed a plan to make this happen. The New Mexico Center for the Advancement of Radiopharmaceutical Sciences (NMCARS) would help create a radioisotope industry in New Mexico. “We have a unique situation here,” says Pieper. “With the research capabilities at UNM, New Mexico State University, and the national labs, and with several local private firms that specialize in the production and commercialization of isotopes, we have the infrastructure and potential industrial base to be the leader in the development and manufacture of medical isotopes.” This, Pieper says, is New Mexico’s opportunity to get in on the ground floor of a booming industry. Although there are about 1,800 known radioisotopes, only about 200 are used on a regular basis. The market for production is expected to reach $550 million by 2005. Although he is genuinely concerned about the potential for economic development in the state, Pieper does have ulterior motives for seeing this industry develop. “The proposed center will extend the capabilities into pharmaceutical development which will improve the delivery of health care in New Mexico, and nationally,” says Pieper. For the UNM College of Pharmacy, the center will help establish new capabilities and expand the college’s existing radiopharmaceutical program to align with new trends in the industry. “This will advance the level of education we provide and will also enhance career opportunities for our graduates,” he says. In addition to the UNM College of Pharmacy, both the UNM School of Medicine and UNM Cancer Research and Treatment Center (CRTC) will benefit from participation in the proposed center. “The School of Medicine’s radiology/nuclear medicine program and the UNM Cancer Research and Treatment Center are excited to participate in this project,” says Pieper. The CRTC’s cancer biology and translational research programs will form the basis for radiopharmaceutical development, and because of their active clinical research, they will also serve as the site for the center’s clinical trials. According to Pieper, the proposed center will provide new educational opportunities for UNM students, stimulate research funding at UNM through major pharmaceutical companies, contribute to the development of new medicines for diagnosis and treatment, and stimulate the state’s economy. “But, the bottom line is that the people of New Mexico will directly benefit from the advances in diagnosis and treatment,” he says. “And that’s really what it’s all about.”   Missed a feature story? Click here to browse our features archive.

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