Scaling Radioligand Therapy: Expanding the Impact of Theranostics - Recent Developments in Precision Oncology
The global radiopharmaceutical market is projected to reach over $35 billion by 2035, with research suggesting up to 80% of cancers could potentially be addressed by radioligand therapy1
Currently, approximately one million cancer patients can be treated with radioligand therapy, but the industry aims to treat up to 6.7 million patients within the next decade1
In 2025, radioligand therapy consolidated its position in the field, with major developments including FDA approval of Pluvicto and movement into earlier treatment pathways rather than just late-stage use4
The PSMAddition trial showed statistically significant improvements in radiographic progression-free survival when Pluvicto was added to standard hormone therapy in metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer4
Key challenges for scaling include the time-sensitive nature of radioligand therapies, strict quality demands, narrow manufacturing windows, and the need for reliable logistics to overcome short shelf life constraints1
Theranostics is expanding beyond oncology into non-oncologic applications, including vascular inflammation imaging, autoimmune arthritis treatment, and cardiac amyloid imaging2
Artificial intelligence and deep learning are being integrated into dosimetry workflows to improve lesion segmentation and radiotracer distribution analysis2
Next-generation developments include exploration of lead-212 as an alpha emitter alternative to actinium-225 for peptide-based theranostics, offering advantages such as a 12-hour half-life compared to actinium's 10 days3
Sources:
1. https://www.fiercebiotech.com/sponsored/scaling-radioligand-therapy-expanding-impact-theranostics
2. https://premierscience.com/pjbs-25-1047/