EDEN RADIOISOTOPES FILES FOR NRC CONSTRUCTION PERMIT TO BRING MEDICAL ISOTOPE PRODUCTION TO THE U.S.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M., May 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Eden Radioisotopes, LLC filed a Construction Permit Application today with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission for an isotope production complex near Eunice, New Mexico. This purpose-built facility is designed to produce a domestic source of life-saving medical isotopes – something currently unavailable at scale in the United States.

When approved, the Eden facility will be positioned to deliver up to 50% of global demand for Molybdenum-99, or Mo-99, the isotope behind more than 40,000 diagnostic imaging procedures performed in the United States each day. It would also be a key producer of more than 3.5 million annual doses of isotopes such as Lutetium-177, or Lu-177, an advanced form of targeted cancer treatment.

The United States currently imports 100% of its Mo-99 from aging foreign reactors. Because medical isotopes decay within hours or days of production, they cannot be stockpiled. Any disruption outside of the U.S. can result in immediate cancellation of patient procedures domestically.

The shortage has drawn federal attention. Congress passed the 2012 American Medical Isotope Production Act, which promotes the development of a reliable domestic supply. However, more than a decade later, the U.S. still lacks sufficient domestic production capacity for both diagnostic and therapeutic isotopes.

"For decades, the American medical system has operated at the mercy of a fragile, foreign-dependent supply chain," said Carrie Freeman, CEO of Eden Radioisotopes. "Eden will permanently reshore this capability – establishing a domestic supply of Mo-99 and Lu-177 and bringing proven nuclear technology directly to the fight against cancer and heart disease."

Eden uses an "all-target" reactor concept exclusively licensed from Sandia National Laboratories and is optimized for high-yield isotope production. The company said the technology generates no spent fuel, and with a co-located processing facility, improves the domestic supply of isotopes for U.S. patients. The company added that its capital-efficient facility design and strategic siting in southeastern New Mexico supports long-term commercial viability.

The filing comes as the Nuclear Regulatory Commission implements reforms aimed at accelerating licensing for advanced reactors. The changes are driven in part by the ADVANCE Act of 2024 and Executive Order 14300, which streamline regulatory pathways for nonpower reactors.

"Because we engaged the NRC early, have an inherently safe design, did our environmental due diligence, and are delivering a robust application, we are confident in a 12-month NRC review," said Jim Saldarini, licensing director at Eden Radioisotopes. "That certainty matters enormously to our investors, our partners and the patients awaiting domestic production at scale."

Added Freeman, "The current U.S. nuclear renaissance is not solely about deploying gigawatts of power generation on the grid; it is about leveraging nuclear technology to directly save lives. That's why Eden and our application with the NRC is so important."

ABOUT EDEN RADIOISOTOPES, LLC
Eden Radioisotopes, LLC is an Albuquerque-based nuclear technology company developing the Eden Isotope Production Complex near Eunice, NM. Eden is focused on scaled production of medical radioisotopes including Mo-99, Lu-177, Cu-64, and Tb-161. Eden's facility is built on reactor technology exclusively licensed from Sandia National Laboratories. For more information, visit edenrad.com.

Media Contact:
Andrea Maldonado
Eden Radioisotopes, LLC
[email protected]

SOURCE Eden Radioisotopes