actinium-225

Actinium-225 is a radioactive isotope used as the active component in targeted alpha therapies for cancer. It emits high-energy alpha particles that cause irreparable double-strand DNA breaks in targeted cells, leading to cell death. In clinical use, actinium-225 is typically attached to targeting molecules such as antibodies or peptides that bind specific antigens on cancer cells, enabling highly localized delivery of cytotoxic radiation while minimizing damage to healthy tissue. This mechanism makes it particularly promising for treating various cancers including prostate cancer, leukemia, neuroendocrine tumors, brain tumors, and bladder cancer. Actinium-225 has a half-life of approximately 9.92 days and is being investigated in numerous radiopharmaceuticals; over two dozen compounds are currently under development or clinical evaluation[1][4][5]. The isotope can be produced via cyclotron technology or other nuclear methods and is not itself a finished drug but rather an active ingredient incorporated into radiopharmaceuticals by various developers[5][6][8].

Other names

actinium Ac 225225Ac