Adacap (or Advanced Accelerator Applications) is a French radiopharmaceutical laboratory founded in 2002 with the aim of commercializing diagnostic radiomedicine technology. Initially, these so-called “radioligand” molecules were associated with radioactive isotopes to target tumors in imaging, confirm a cancerous pathology and henceforth confirm the patient’s eligibility for therapeutic innovations provided in Nuclear Medicine services. These radiomedicines are used in targeted therapies in oncology: injected into the patient’s blood, the molecule “guides” the radioactive energy to the areas identified to treat them. We then speak of Internal Vectorized Radiotherapy (IVR).
Adacap is developing a “theranostic” approach, consisting of combining diagnosis and oncological treatment with the same targeting molecules. “Process what you see and see what you process.” To date, two therapeutic areas are covered, neuroendocrine tumors and prostate cancer, and a dozen others are currently being evaluated. To carry out its activities, Adacap relies on 5 French industrial sites in its diagnostic part, and four others in the therapeutic part (Italy, Spain, United States, where a 2nd site will see the light of day at the end of 2023).
Owned by the Novartis Group since 2018, Adacap has significant resources to deepen its research. The laboratory also works in close collaboration with the medical community to develop and test its molecules during clinical trials in France, Europe and the rest of the world. Adacap is now strongly mobilizing the French medical community on around twenty oncology trials, at different stages of research.
France, for these innovations, offers an early access system which allows the drug to be made available before its marketing, under strict conditions of patient eligibility, specifications and robust levels of proof. For this, it can count on the commitment of health professionals in the Nuclear Medicine environment. Nuclear physicians, radiopharmacists, radiophysicists and associated organ specialists work collectively with Adacap to provide eligible patients with access to vectorized internal radiotherapy, a major innovation in nuclear medicine.
The Adacap laboratory stands out by developing large-scale access to innovations in Oncology provided by Nuclear Medicine and by tending towards precision medicine for each patient: these therapeutic innovations produced for each patient need to be carried out on demand due to the radioactivity of the drug covering a few days; no stock is possible. After identifying patients who can benefit from the treatment using PET imaging, healthcare structures order the patient’s dose on a specific date, which initiates the production process by Adacap.
Due to the number of patients impacted, the therapeutic drugs developed by Adacap are increasing the therapeutic activity of Nuclear Medicine and therefore require a new ecosystem to reach patients. Therefore, an important part of the laboratory’s work consists of preparing the actors of this ecosystem to implement these innovations. In interaction with regional health agencies (ARS), the Ministry of Health and patient associations, Adacap works to guarantee access for eligible patients to this innovative therapy.