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Radioactive drugs strike cancer with precision
The tumor-seeking radiopharmaceuticals are charting a new course in oncology, with promise for targeted treatments with fewer side effects
The introduction of proton therapy later made it possible to precisely guide radiation beams to tumors, thus reducing damage to surrounding healthy tissues — a degree of accuracy that was further refined through improvements in medical physics, computer technologies and state-of-the-art imaging techniques. The move follows similar billion-dollar-plus transactions made in recent months by Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS) and Eli Lilly, along with earlier takeovers of innovative radiopharmaceutical firms by Novartis, which continued its acquisition streak — begun in 2018 — with another planned $1 billion upfront payment for a radiopharma startup, as revealed in May. Furthermore, even when the necessary isotopes are on hand, the swift decay of radioactive material forces companies to operate within a unique logistical framework, with meticulous coordination required between clinicians and manufacturers so that medications arrive at hospitals within tightly defined windows while the therapies remain potent.
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