Another Pharma Giant Enters Radiopharmaceuticals, Targeting a $19.3 Billion Market

　　【Pharmaceutical Network Industry Dynamics】Nuclear medicine drugs, also known as radiopharmaceuticals or radionuclide drugs, refer to drugs containing radioisotopes bound to pharmaceutical molecules. These drugs utilize the unique properties of radioisotopes to play a critical role in non-invasive diagnostic imaging or as therapeutic agents. Data shows that the global revenue scale of radiopharmaceuticals for nuclear medicine is approximately 78.4 billion yuan in 2025 and is expected to approach 138.3 billion yuan by 2032. Facing a vast market, pharmaceutical companies are increasingly entering this field.
 

On April 13, 2026, Regeneron announced a strategic partnership with Telix Pharmaceuticals for the co-development and commercialization of next-generation radiopharmaceuticals (radioisotope conjugates). This licensing collaboration marks Regeneron's official entry into the radiopharmaceuticals field.
 

According to the cooperation agreement, these two pharmaceutical companies have finalized four cooperative projects, all of which are therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals. Meanwhile, Regeneron can expand the number of cooperative projects to eight by increasing additional upfront payments. In addition to therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals, Regeneron and Telix will also jointly develop diagnostic radiopharmaceuticals.
 

Data shows that Telix's radiopharmaceutical pipeline is quite extensive, covering both the diagnosis and treatment of tumors. Almost every diagnostic radiopharmaceutical for a specific cancer type is paired with a therapeutic radiopharmaceutical. Its indications under development include prostate cancer, brain cancer, kidney cancer, and more. Currently, Telix has launched three commercial products: Illuccix®, Gozellix®, and Scintimun®. In addition, the company has several radiopharmaceutical pipelines in late-stage clinical trials or regulatory submission phases. For instance, the FDA recently accepted the company’s resubmitted NDA for Pixclara® (TLX101-CDx), used for imaging diagnosis of glioblastoma, with a PDUFA date set for September 11, 2026.
 

Regeneron stated that radiopharmaceuticals are gradually becoming an important emerging direction in the field of cancer treatment. They can complement its existing immunotherapy platform and are expected to play a potential role in indications with high unmet needs, such as lung cancer. The Telix management pointed out that this cooperation reflects the high complementarity of the two parties' technology platforms and provides an important opportunity to advance the next generation of radiopharmaceutical-based treatments.
 

In addition to foreign markets, China has also been making continuous breakthroughs in the field of nuclear medicine. Recently, the Class 1 innovative radiopharmaceutical Technetium [99mTc] Pentetreotide Peptide Injection, and its companion preparation kit for Technetium [99mTc] Pentetreotide Peptide Injection, submitted by Foshan Radiomed Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd., have been approved for marketing by the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA). According to available information, Technetium [99mTc] Pentetreotide Peptide Injection is a radiodiagnostic drug that targets integrin αvβ3 for Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography/Computed Tomography (SPECT/CT) imaging, used as an auxiliary examination for suspected lung cancer patients with regional lymph node metastasis.
 

Statistics show that currently, more than 20 nuclear medicine pipelines under research and development have been announced by pharmaceutical companies in China, covering both diagnostic and therapeutic fields. These involve companies such as Hengrui Medicine, Grand Pharmaceutical, Baiyunshan, Dongcheng Pharmaceutical, and China Isotope & Radiation Corporation. For instance, Hengrui Medicine has invested in building an industrial base of over 80,000 square meters in Tianjin. The company already has eight nuclear medicines in the clinical trial stage, including the radiopharmaceutical lutetium [177Lu] oxodotreotide injection for precise diagnosis and treatment, and the innovative diagnostic drug HRS-9815 injection. Data predicts that by 2030, the market size of radiopharmaceuticals in China is expected to expand to 26 billion yuan, indicating broad future market prospects.
 

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