Switzerland-headquartered Novartis announced the construction of a new radioligand therapy (RLT) manufacturing facility in Indianapolis that will extend its world-class manufacturing and supply chain capabilities. The $150-million facility will create over 50 new jobs.
The company will also establish its third RLT manufacturing site in Carlsbad, California. The new facilities represent Novartis' continued investment in developing a robust infrastructure to support the expanding use of RLTs to treat cancer. Novartis broke ground on the new facility at its Indianapolis site that will produce radioisotopes critical for the manufacturing of RLTs.
RLTs are a form of precision medicine that combine a tumor-targeting molecule (ligand) with a therapeutic radioisotope, enabling the delivery of radiation to the tumor while limiting damage to the surrounding cells. Novartis is actively investigating the application of RLTs across cancer types and settings, with one of the deepest and most advanced pipelines in the industry. Both facilities will be built with room for further expansion to enable the potential production of different isotopes, ligands and RLTs. Once completed and approved, these new facilities will further strengthen the Novartis RLT manufacturing and supply network.
"Novartis pioneered the adoption at scale of radioligand therapies across different indications as a targeted approach to treat cancers," said Victor Bultó, President, US, Novartis. "Building on this experience and knowledge, we are confident in the potential of RLTs to meaningfully benefit many more patients affected by different types of cancer in the future. We are investing in our supply chain capabilities today to ensure that we are prepared to consistently deliver these complex treatments to the growing number of eligible patients in the long-term."
