Eckert & Ziegler, Bicycle Therapeutics ink radiopharmaceuticals partnership
Eckert & Ziegler has entered into a strategic partnership with Bicycle Therapeutics to supply radioisotopes and provide contract development and manufacturing services for Bicycle’s radiopharmaceutical molecules, known as Bicycle Radio Conjugates (BRCs).
The collaboration aims to support the clinical development of Bicycle’s proprietary bicyclic peptide-based therapeutics, which are designed to precisely deliver therapeutic payloads to hard-to-reach targets. The agreement includes isotope supply and manufacturing at Eckert & Ziegler’s GMP facility in Berlin, Germany.
Bicycle Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biotechnology company, is focused on developing a new class of therapeutics using its technology platform. The company’s pipeline includes Bicycle Toxin Conjugates and BRC molecules targeting cancer and other diseases with high unmet medical needs.
German-based Eckert & Ziegler specializes in isotope-related components for nuclear medicine and radiation therapy. The company has over 1,000 employees and offers services ranging from early-stage radiopharmaceutical development to contract manufacturing and distribution. In its latest financial results, Eckert & Ziegler reported strong revenue growth driven by demand for radiopharmaceuticals and its contract manufacturing business.
The agreement marks an important step for both companies as they seek to expand the role of targeted radiopharmaceuticals in cancer treatment. By leveraging Eckert & Ziegler’s expertise in GMP-compliant manufacturing and Bicycle’s innovative peptide platform, the partnership aims to accelerate the development of precision oncology treatments.
CDMOs with capabilities in handling radiopharmaceuticals are "seeing strong demand, reflecting strength in these therapeutic modalities,” according to CPHI’s 2024 annual report. “Barriers to entry here are extremely high and could lead to a supply/demand imbalance in the near term as more radiopharmaceuticals make their way into the clinical pipelines.”
In late January 2025, Lantheus Holdings announced plans to acquire radiopharmaceuticals CDMO and diagnostics company Evergreen Theragnostics in an all-cash deal valued at $250 million, with up to $752.5 million in potential milestone payments.
The acquisition is expected to bolster Lantheus’ capabilities as a fully integrated radiopharmaceutical company, incorporating Evergreen’s scalable radioligand therapy manufacturing infrastructure, which includes a revenue-generating CDMO business.