For the first time, the University of Missouri (MU) has launched a clinical trial for a radioactive cancer drug that was developed and manufactured entirely on its own campus.

The treatment uses something called Eye90 microspheres. These are tiny glass beads filled with a radioactive isotope called yttrium-90 (Y-90). Doctors use them to target liver tumors that can’t be removed with surgery. Because the beads show up clearly on scans, doctors can see exactly where they are going, making sure the radiation hits the tumor while leaving healthy tissue alone.

A Nuclear Medicine

This project is a big deal because it uses the university’s massive research reactor, known as MURR. It’s the only place in the country that produces Y-90. By working with a company called ABK Biomedical, the school can make the beads, test them, and give them to patients without ever leaving campus.

“This clinical trial is significant for Mizzou because it shows the power of our campus research,” University of Missouri President Mun Choi said. “We have the nation’s largest university research reactor and unmatched research facilities in veterinary medicine, at our School of Medicine, and at NextGen Precision Health.”

Hoi added, “This allows our faculty and researchers to partner with industry to develop and test ground-breaking treatments and get them to patients faster, all from one campus.”

A History of Targeting Tumors

Mizzou has actually been working on this kind of technology since the 1980s. Back then, researchers teamed up to create the very first radioactive glass beads. This new version, Eye90, is the next step in that history.

Before testing it on humans, researchers even used the treatment to help pet dogs with liver tumors at the university’s veterinary center. Those successful tests paved the way for this current human trial.

“While we participate in many different clinical studies, this is the first radiopharmaceutical clinical trial for Ellis Fischel,” said Ryan Davis, associate professor of clinical radiology. “Studies like this provide early availability of therapies for our patients, and they continue our leadership in translational research.”

“We are excited to be part of this study because we recognize the growing significance of targeted radiotherapy for metastatic tumors,” Davis said.

Matt Sanford, the executive director of MURR, noted that these partnerships are helping cancer patients both in Columbia and around the world. “We are proud to support ground-breaking advancements in nuclear medicine,” he said. “By leveraging our expertise in radioisotope production, we are helping bring innovative cancer treatments from laboratory to the clinic, offering new hope for cancer patients.”