Nordion Signs Two-Year Strontium-82 Supply Contract with Bracco Diagnostics

OTTAWA, Ontario--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Nordion Inc. NDN NDZ announced today that it has entered into a two-year contract with Bracco Diagnostics Inc., the U.S. subsidiary of Bracco Imaging S.p.A., a global leading company in the diagnostic imaging business, to supply strontium-82, a cyclotron based medical isotope produced both at Nordion's Vancouver, British Columbia and Ottawa, Ontario facilities.

“Bracco is committed to support the worldwide supply of strontium today and in the future. To this end, the agreement with Nordion is an important part of Bracco's success and growth in nuclear medicine imaging,” said Vittorio Puppo, President and Chief Executive Officer of Bracco Diagnostics, Inc.

Strontium-82 is used in CardioGen-82 generators and over time decays into an injectable medical isotope called Rubidium-82. CardioGen-82 is a closed system used to produce Rubidium-82 chloride injection for intravenous administration. Rubidium Rb82 chloride injection is indicated for Positron Emission Tomography (PET) imaging of the myocardium under rest or pharmacologic stress conditions to evaluate regional myocardial perfusion in adult patients with suspected or existing coronary artery disease.

“We believe that partnerships, like this one with Bracco Diagnostics, are imperative in bringing advanced imaging solutions to patients,” said Tom Burnett, General Manager of Medical Isotopes, Nordion Inc. “In addition to being a global leader in the supply of medical isotopes, Nordion provides a full spectrum of services for the development and commercialization of novel radiopharmaceuticals. For many years customers have been relying on our proven track record for innovative solutions, quality, and reliability that make Nordion the partner of choice.”

According to the American Heart Association more than 787,000 people in the United States died from heart disease, stroke and other cardiovascular diseases in 2010. That is about one of every three deaths in America. In addition, over 10 million nuclear cardiology scans are performed annually in the United States.

About Nordion Inc.
Nordion Inc. NDN NDZ is a global health science company that provides market-leading products used for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease. We are a leading provider of medical isotopes and sterilization technologies that benefit the lives of millions of people in more than 40 countries around the world. Our products are used daily by pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, medical-device manufacturers, hospitals, clinics and research laboratories. Nordion has over 400 highly skilled employees in three locations. Find out more at www.nordion.com and follow us at twitter.com/NordionInc.