Research and Markets: Molybdenum-99, Privatising Nuclear Medicine: Need for Continuous Supplies of Medical Isotopes Means Transforming Molybdenum-99 to a Lucrative Commodity

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/051fee/molybdenum99_pri) has announced the addition of the "Molybdenum-99: Privatising Nuclear Medicine" report to their offering.

This Special Report from Business Monitor International examines the global supply of Molybdenum- 99, looking at the likelihood of price rises and the implications of investment.

Molybdenum-99 is a radioisotope primarily produced from the nuclear fission of Uranium-235 using neutron bombardment. Its decay product, Technetium-99m (99mTc), is produced in processing facilities for 99Mo and is the most widely used radioisotope in the world for molecular and nuclear diagnostic imaging tests. In the January 2011 edition of Science, an article entitled Scrambling to Close the Isotope Gap', estimated that 99m Tc is used in over 30mn procedures a year globally.

This Special Report draws upon the expertise of BMI's Pharmaceutical and Healthcare analysts to provide an insight into the current market, the need for price changes and the future demand for Molybdenum-99 (99Mo). The need to have a continuous supply of medical isotopes has the potential to transform this product from a publicly-subsidised by-product to a lucrative commodity.

The report is split into the following topics:

• Molybdenum-99, the Birth of a New Commodity
• The Demand for 99mTc
• Why is the Price of 99Mo Artificially Low?
• How Much Will the Price Rise and When?
• Could the Market Experience an Overcapacity?
• The Processing Bottleneck
• The Importance of Non-Proliferation and the Switch to LEU
• Where to Invest-Reactors vs Cyclotrons
• Potential Investors and Current Market Leaders Client Benefits

Market Overview:

The current price of irradiating Molybdenum-99 ( 99Mo) is unsustainable and will have to increase by 300-500% in the medium term to allow for investment in new production facilities to maintain the global supply of the important medical radioisotope. The market is currently stuck in a low profit margin mindset that ignores capital costs and overheads. This is a legacy of manufacturers' historic roles as primary research institutes for academics, as opposed to sustainable businesses.

This should change in the next five years as governments are looking to stop subsidies, which could lead to more sustainable prices and open the market up to investment. The downside risk is that if this rise takes longer to begin than the industry hopes (one-to-three years), it will restrict profitability and delay investment in the sector. Without government intervention, 99Mo has the potential to become a commodity similar to conventional generic pharmaceutical products.

This report believes the rewards for investing while risks surrounding price increases remains, will secure a better return on investment in the long term. The report is based on existing studies combined with BMI's proprietary growth forecasts to quantify the investment rewards, risks and opportunities. In addition, it projects the best investment strategies, looking at the current market players and the available isotope production technologies.

Key Topics Covered:

• Molybdenum-99, The Privatisation Of The Nuclear Medicines Market
• Market Share of Molybdenum Production
• The Demand For 99mTc
• Quantifying Growth Prospects
• Forecast Current and Maximum Supply Against Demand In Annual Six-Day Curies Eop
• The Impact Of The Social Contract
• Why Is The Price Artificially Low?
• Molybdenum Supply Chain Prices (EUR)
• How Much Will The Price Rise And When?
• Current Cost Of Irradiation Per Treatment With Processed 99mTc
• The Total Radioisotope Market
• Regional Growth Breakdown
• Current And Forecast Global Radioisotope Imports
• Risks To Investment
• Which Scenarios Are Most Likely
• Prospective Technologies
• Who Will Invest
• Profiling NTP

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/051fee/molybdenum99_pri