Shine Technologies

Shine Technologies (stylized as SHINE Technologies, where "SHINE" originated as an acronym for "subcritical hybrid intense neutron emitter"),[1] formerly named SHINE Medical Technologies, is a private corporation based in Janesville, Wisconsin. As of February 2016, the company was planning to build a facility to produce radioactive isotopes for medical applications.[2][3]

SHINE Technologies
TypeL.L.C.
IndustryRadiopharmaceutical
FoundedJune 2010
FounderGregory Piefer
Headquarters
Janesville, Wisconsin
Websiteshinefusion.com

Business model

In 2009, the supply of molybdenum-99 (Mo-99), a precursor to technetium-99m used in more than 30 medical imaging procedures, fell short of demand due to maintenance idling of a pair of research reactors, one located in the Netherlands, forcing doctors to use more dangerous isotopes.[4][5] By 2016, the largest global supplier of the isotope, a Canadian research reactor, was scheduled to go idle.[4][5] In 2010, the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), a part of the United States Department of Energy, began funding a number of method development ventures aimed at ensuring that shortages in the United States could be avoided[5] as well as reducing the use of highly enriched uranium and with it lowering the risk of nuclear proliferation.[6]

SHINE was among a handful of early recipients of funds from the NNSA program and received US$13,900,000 through it as of 2014.[5] The company has also relied on venture capital funding, having secured up to US$125,000,000 from Deerfield Management beginning in October 2014.[5][7]

The 2014 market for medical isotopes was estimated to be about US$600,000,000 per year.[5] Several companies in addition to SHINE were vying for part of this market, and the need for redundancy in production was expected to support a number suppliers beyond the minimum needed to meet current demand.[5]

The company had plans in 2015 to start production-scale generation of isotopes in 2018, having pushed the proposed start date back several times,[8] and it secured a number of supply agreements predicated on this start date.[5][9]

SHINE also secured a US$150,000 National Science Foundation grant in 2014 to develop production methods for Iodine-131, which is used in the treatment of Graves' disease and certain cancers.[10]

Facilities and technology

Original technology for production of Mo-99 was reactor-based and unavoidably produced significant nuclear waste.[4] SHINE developed plans to use particle accelerator technology developed at the University of Wisconsin–Madison by company founder Gregory Piefer.[5][10] The method, referred to as "neutron generator technology", uses helium and free neutrons, produced by colliding a beam of deuterium particles with tritium gas, to bombard low-level enriched uranium targets leading to the production of "useful isotopes with minimal waste".[5] In addition to the diagnostically useful Mo-99, the process can also produce Iodine-131, which is used in medical treatments.[2]

In 2013, SHINE constructed a full-scale prototype particle accelerator at their facility in Monona, Wisconsin, to be used to demonstrate the technology. Eight accelerators would be used at the Janesville facility.[11]

On June 15, 2015, Argonne National Laboratory demonstrated that SHINE's production, separation and purification process could produce Mo-99 which meets purity specifications of the British Pharmacopoeia.[6]

The NRC approved SHINE's construction permit for a facility in Janesville, Wisconsin in late February 2016. If constructed, the facility would still require NRC licensing to operate.[3] In 2014 the facility was originally slated for opening in 2016, and the planned opening was then delayed to 2017.[12] As of February 2016, construction was planned for 2017 with production potentially beginning in 2019.[3]

References
  1. Chemerisov, S. (April 14, 2014). "Development of the mini-SHINE/MIPS experiments" (PDF). Argonne National Laboratory. doi:10.2172/1132249. OSTI 1132249. Retrieved July 17, 2015.
  2. Gallagher, Kathleen (June 30, 2015). "Shine Medical Technologies receives $150,000 National Science Foundation grant". The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved 2015-07-24.
  3. Newman, Judy (February 25, 2016). "SHINE Medical wins NRC's OK to build medical isotope plant". Wisconsin State Journal. Retrieved February 25, 2016.
  4. Noorden, Richard Van (December 11, 2013). "Radioisotopes: The medical testing crisis". Nature. 504 (7479): 202–204. doi:10.1038/504202a. ISSN 0028-0836. PMID 24336269.
  5. LaMonica, Martin (December 18, 2014). "Startups Race to Solve Looming Medical Radioisotope Crisis". Xconomy. Retrieved July 23, 2015. The company has supply agreements in place and plans to build a production plant in Janesville, WI.
  6. Cunningham, Greg (June 15, 2015). "Argonne confirms new commercial method for producing medical isotope". Argonne National Lab. Retrieved July 17, 2015.
  7. Engel, Jeff (October 9, 2014). "Deerfield Pouring $125M Into WI Startup Shine Medical Technologies". Xconomy. Retrieved July 23, 2015.
  8. Newman, Judy. "Environmental report supports SHINE Medical's plan to build radioisotope plant in Janesville". Wisconsin State Journal. Retrieved July 23, 2015.
  9. Gallagher, Kathleen (April 3, 2014). "Shine Medical Technologies signs supply contract with GE Healthcare". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved July 23, 2015.
  10. Gallagher, Kathleen (September 3, 2014). "Shine Medical Technologies raises $2.4 million". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved July 23, 2015.
  11. Leute, Jim (February 17, 2013). "Testing 1, 2, 3: SHINE makes progress at demonstration facility". Janesville Gazette. Archived from the original on July 21, 2015. Retrieved July 17, 2015.
  12. "Financing deal for $125 million brings SHINE Janesville plant closer to reality". The Janesville Gazette. October 10, 2014. Retrieved July 23, 2015.(subscription required)
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