Shri Pradip Mukherjee

During the year, several important initiatives were rolled out to ensure sustained success. The ready-to-use Ga-68-PSMA radiopharmaceutical for detection and staging of prostate cancer - particularly in cases of suspected recurrence or metastasis - was successfully launched from RC, BRIT Delhi, serving users across the Delhi NCR region. Additionally, production and supply of No Carrier Added (NCA) Lutetium-177–based radiopharmaceuticals, namely NCA ¹⁷⁷Lu-DOTA TATE and NCA ¹⁷⁷Lu-PSMA-617, commenced in January 2025. I am proud of how swiftly and effectively teams from BRIT and BARC collaborated to meet this new challenge, enabling the availability of superior precision radiopharmaceuticals for cancer treatment. These efforts have established a strong foundation for targeted nuclear medicine in India.

Despite significant challenges, we made steady progress toward our strategic goals. Production of medical-grade high-specific-activity Molybdenum-99 resumed at the Fission Molybdenum Production Facility in January 2025 after securing regulatory approvals. Regular production and supply of Special Illuminators also commenced from the newly established facility at the CIRUS Complex (BARC), approved by the BARC Safety Council. These products are designed with high durability and specific operational requirements to equip our Defence Forces with valuable arsenal which will enhance operational effectiveness and help to meet contemporary battlefield requirements.

To date, MoUs have been signed with 40 gamma radiation processing facilities across the private and state government sectors in India. These facilities cater to domestic and export requirements for healthcare products, sterilisation, and hygienisation of agro-products such as mangoes, spices, onions, and herbal products. BRIT and DAE continue to support these facilities through the supply of Co-60 sources and the establishment of plant operational parameters.

The indigenously designed Cobalt-60–based radiation exposure device, COCAM-A - capable of housing 8 Curie of Co-60 radioisotope - has been successfully delivered to the College of Military Engineering (CME), Pune, a premier institution under the Ministry of Defence. This milestone marks a significant transfer of advanced technological capability and operational preparedness to India’s defence training ecosystem reinforcing India’s ability to respond effectively to emerging challenges It also underscores BRIT’s continued commitment to strengthening national security infrastructure through innovation.

A truly historic achievement was the preparation - for the first time in India - of a high-specific-activity ¹³¹I-mIBG therapeutic dose (~400 mCi/mg, compared to the typical 125–130 mCi/mg) for the treatment of a teenager suffering from neuroblastoma. The high-quality I-131 supplied by BARC enabled effective treatment and complete cure of the disease. This milestone received highly encouraging feedback from the medical fraternity as well as the media.

BRIT also reaffirmed its humanitarian commitment by strictly adhering to the principles of Reduce, Refine, Replace, and Rehabilitate, in line with CPCSEA ethical guidelines. Approval from RPC, based on experimentation and the data submitted, led to a significant reduction in the frequency of biodistribution studies for quality control, resulting in over an 80% reduction in animal experimentation—a landmark achievement reflecting our ethical responsibility.

Looking ahead, 2026 promises to be another exciting and impactful year! Our key priority will be to ensure a streamlined and affordable supply of radiopharmaceuticals, while concurrently promoting the development and deployment of advanced radiation technologies for the broader benefit of society. I am confident that your continued innovation, teamwork and dedication will drive even greater achievements for our organisation and the communities we serve. We remain firmly committed to excellence, technological advancement, and service to society.

With warm regards and best wishes for the year ahead,