QSAM Biosciences Inc. announced the qualification and addition of the nuclear reactor at the University of Texas at Austin to its supply chain for the production of Samarium-153, the active radioisotope used in QSAM's therapeutic radiopharmaceutical drug candidate, CycloSam® (Samarium-153 DOTMP), a potentially treatment for metastatic and primary bone cancer in adults and children. QSAM is actively enrolling patients with metastatic bone cancer in a Phase I clinical trial across four clinical research centers in the United States. The qualification of the nuclear reactor at UT-Austin, QSAM's second qualified reactor, increases the availability of Samarium-153 and provides logistical efficiencies for the production and administration of CycloSam® for current and future clinical trials, as well as the commercial supply of CycloSam® if ultimately approved by the FDA.

Samarium-153 (Sm-153) is a beta-emitting radioisotope that carries radiation designed and intended to disrupt tumor cell metabolism and cause cancer cell death. With a short 46-hour radiation half-life, Sm-153, in combination with the bone-seeking chelant DOTMP that is believed to significantly limit undesirable off-target migration of radiation to nearby healthy tissues, represents a potentially highly effective bone cancer treatment. The addition of qualified nuclear reactors is expected to support QSAM's clinical research and future commercial supply of Sm-153 if approved by the FDA.