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ARTMS wins 2017 Technology Impact Award

23 June 2017

A rising star in innovation and technology, TRIUMF-partnered ARTMS Products Inc. was recognized with the BC Tech Association’s 2017 Technology Impact Award (TIA) for Most Promising Pre-Commercial Technology. Dr. Paul Schaffer, ARTMS CEO and TRIUMF Associate Laboratiory Director - Life Sciences, accepted the award on behalf of the company at a ceremony held in Vancouver on June 22, 2017.

ARTMS is a leader in the development of novel technologies and products which enable the production of the world’s most-used diagnostic imaging isotope, technetium‐99m (Tc-99m). Tc-99m is used in over 80% of all nuclear medicine imaging procedures and is vital to patient care in areas such as cardiology, oncology, and neurology. Typically sourced from an ageing global reactor fleet, Tc-99m has been subject to significant supply disruptions in recent years.

ARTMS, which recently announced a strategic partnership with UK-based Alliance Biomedical, was recognized for its innovative cyclotron-based production solution for Tc-99m. The company’s breakthrough technology enables a reliable, cost effective, and safe supply of this critical medical isotope using common hospital-based and commercial cyclotrons, a type of particle accelerator. ARTMS’ decentralized solution offers the potential to revolutionize medical isotope production as Tc-99m can now be produced locally at hospitals, clinics, and radiopharmacies that already have medical imaging infrastructure in place. This cyclotron-based production approach provides an alternative to sourcing Tc-99m from nuclear reactors, many of which are ageing and increasingly unreliable.

“The BC Tech industry has never been more vibrant and diverse. Every year through the TIAs, we celebrate the technology up-and-comers and leaders that are transforming the BC tech ecosystem. The calibre of talent of the finalists and winners this year is outstanding and we congratulate each of them for their accomplishments." - Bill Tam, President, BC Tech Association.

TRIUMF would also like to congratulate the ARTMS team for their win. Bravo, ARTMS!

Founded in 1994 by the BC Tech Association, the Technology Impact Awards to celebrate the successes of the companies, people and innovation that continue to put British Columbia on the map. You can learn more about the BC Tech TIAs here.