Selecting A Central Lab Network For Radiopharmaceutical Readiness

In cooperation with The Bracken Group and Dr. Deepak Behera, MD

Radiopharmaceutical trials are still mostly early-stage, with just 10.2% reaching Phase III, but that balance is shifting fast. Most handling expertise remains concentrated in a small number of academic centers, many already operating at capacity, which limits site diversity and slows trial activation as demand accelerates. Because these compounds have short half-lives, proximity between trial sites and qualified labs isn't optional; delays in processing can compromise data integrity outright.

This paper examines why traditional single-location central lab models can't meet these constraints, and what a decentralized, regionally coordinated lab network could look like instead, from standardized SOPs across facilities to targeted training that closes the roughly 40% pharmacist shortage and expands site readiness. It also considers where automation and AI can reduce manual bottlenecks in dosimetry and imaging analysis.

Examine the case for building a radiopharma-ready lab network before demand outpaces capacity.