Biotechnology company ABK Biomedical has announced a partnership with COR Development to establish a commercial manufacturing plant in Ashland, Missouri to produce Eye90 microsphere technology at commercial scale.

Eye90 microsphere technology is a clinical-stage Y90 radioembolization device being studied as an imaging option to inform the proper dosing of radiotherapies designed to treat unresectable liver cancer. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) designated the technology as a Breakthrough Device in 2023.

The news follows the announcement of ABK’s extended partnership with the University of Missouri Research Reactor (MURR), with which it signed a long-term agreement toward advancing the Eye90 microsphere technology. Per that agreement, MURR will serve as the primary irradiation partner for Eye90 microspheres, helping to lead manufacturing and scaling of the product.

ABK will build the new facility in Cartwright Business and Technology Park in Ashland, Missouri. The firm chose the location in part because it is close to MURR, helping to enable seamless collaboration.

According to Mike Mangano, president and CEO of ABK Biomedical, the short distance between the facilities will provide supply-chain advantages that can then be passed onto clinicians for the treatment of patients with liver cancer.

"Establishing this commercial footprint is another major milestone for ABK," he said in a public release. "The Cartwright Business Park provides an ideal location for our long-term manufacturing needs. Partnering with COR Development and Coil Construction ensures we will have a world-class facility to deliver Eye90 microspheres to the rapidly growing global Y90 radioembolization market."

Coil Construction will oversee both the design and construction of the facility, ensuring that it meets regulatory and technical requirements for isotope device manufacturing. The facility is projected to bring jobs to the Columbia region of Missouri, enhancing its reputation as in nuclear medicine and biotechnology. Although the total number of jobs is not yet determined, Gary Donofrio, chief business officer at ABK, projects to add 10–15 jobs initially, when the facility is fully operational.

Donofrio told BioProcess Insider that the facility will offer specific features designed to optimize production of Eye90 microspheres. These will include “unique radiopharmaceutical infrastructure [such as] special outfitting, shielding, safety features, reinforcement, etc.” He described the site as very safe and built to the same specifications as any GMP manufacturing facility. “The facility will include specialized containment systems (hot cells) installed in GMP cleanrooms that are used for the safe production of radiopharmaceuticals.”

He said that construction and commissioning/validation should take about 18 months to complete.