Theranostic Radiopharmaceuticals : at the Inflection Point

There has been a surge of interest in the field of “theranostic” (therapeutic + diagnostic) radiopharmaceuticals, both clinically and commercially. The potential has arguably been evident for several decades but there have been some hard-learned lessons and some astonishing failures that have contributed to a lack of traction for the nuclear medicine industry. There is evidence that this has now changed and recent product development, clinical outcomes and commercial focus have given the field a much-needed boost. In this article we explore the issues and opportunities that currently define the field. We take the position that we are at the point where such a cost-effective and clinically beneficial precision medicine strategy has reached an inflection point on its trajectory toward success.