Atomic Hamilton
Written by Anthony Krstic
AtomVie Global Radiopharma’s investment in Hamilton sets the Airport Employment Growth District aglow.
You can’t ignore the mass of construction on Upper James Street, heading away from the edge of the Escarpment and towards the John C. Munro Airport. First, there was the Amazon fulfillment centre, but that large warehouse is quickly being surrounded by other large commercial facilities in one of Hamilton’s fastest-growing areas.
One of those new builds belongs to AtomVie Global Radiopharma Inc (AtomVie). The latest spinoff from the Centre for Probe Development Commercialization at McMaster University, AtomVie is yet another success story in Hamilton’s healthcare sector in recent years.
A global leader in manufacturing and distributing finished-dose therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals, AtomVie has begun construction on its state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in the Hamilton Airport Growth District. With a sprawling footprint of 72,300 square feet, this new facility is poised to increase AtomVie’s manufacturing capacity at least tenfold, a testament to its commitment to transforming patients’ lives with high-quality radiopharmaceuticals.
Scheduled for occupancy by the end of 2024, AtomVie’s new facility will not only meet the soaring demand for radiopharmaceuticals globally, but also positions Hamilton as a hub for advanced radiopharmaceutical development and manufacturing. It will boost the production of clinical and commercial supplies of radiopharmaceuticals for numerous national and international pharmaceutical companies, marking a significant milestone in Hamilton’s journey towards becoming a major player in the industry.
Moreover, the new cutting-edge labs, advanced material storage systems, and streamlined logistics fulfillment operations underscores AtomVie’s dedication in the Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) sector.
Radiopharmaceuticals are an emerging treatment option that uses radioactive isotopes to diagnose and treat different diseases. “The purpose of these therapies is really to direct the radiation at the molecular level to the site of the disease or the cancer cells, and they will kill the cancer cells without affecting the surrounding healthy tissues,” explains Bruno Paquin, CEO of AtomVie. “And the results so far are very, very encouraging for this type of treatment.”
Instead of developing their own radiopharmaceuticals, AtomVie is working to provide manufacturing capacity for biotech companies around the world.
As demand for radiopharmaceuticals increases globally, AtomVie’s facilities will further establish and cement Hamilton as a centre for these exciting treatments.
There’s a people element at work here, too. Beyond the new building and shiny lab spaces, AtomVie is also creating jobs for skilled Hamiltonians. Since mid-2022, AtomVie has created 34 new jobs, and is planning to add 70 more by the end of 2025. By then, AtomVie will employ more than 200 highly inhouse-trained technical staff, boosting the local economy and fostering talent and innovation in nuclear medicine.
Since 2016, nuclear therapeutic medicine manufacturing has nearly tripled in Hamilton, a testament to the municipality as a nuclear medicine hub and as a major centre for life sciences and research. What makes Hamilton so desirable for the industry is its proximity to nuclear reactors, in addition to specialized hot cell labs that allow for the production of goods and materials that are simply impossible to produce in other places.
It also helps to have access to a highly skilled workforce that naturally extends from the proximity to multiple post secondary institutions, including McMaster University.
For AtomVie – whose products have half-lives of days, if not hours before they lose effectiveness – there was another great reason to choose their new location. Access to the John C. Munro Airport is critical for AtomVie to be able to ship their products to every continent on demand. Couple the airport with Hamilton’s incredibly robust transportation network, proximity to the United States border, and access to other airports, and it’s no wonder why life sciences are flourishing in Hamilton. “It was a major consideration,” Paquin says.
“The new facility and its strategic location in Hamilton, Ontario, will firmly establish our position as a global leader in the GMP manufacturing and global distribution of radiotherapeutics for both clinical development and the commercial market,”
says Paquin. “Our outstanding team’s contributions will undoubtedly improve patients’ lives worldwide.”
“We are excited to see the impressive growth of a made-in-Hamilton company like AtomVie which is bolstering the life sciences industry and expanding opportunities for the radiopharmaceutical industry in Hamilton. This kind of growth will further develop pathways for export, expand our talent pool, and drive research and job creation,” says Norm Schleehahn, Director of Economic Development for the City of Hamilton.
“We are proud that AtomVie calls Hamilton home and we are looking forward to witnessing AtomVie’s continued growth and innovation in nuclear medicine.”
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