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DOD Axe Exploration, Inc.

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Perma-Fix Medical Announces Validation of Medical Isotope Technology With Leading International Reactor Operators

27/03/2014 3:55pm

Marketwired Canada


Perma-Fix Medical Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Perma-Fix
Environmental Services, Inc. (NASDAQ: PESI) today announced successful
validation of its process to produce Technetium-99m (Tc-99m) from Molybdenum-99
(Mo-99) using standard reactors at two of the premier research institutions in
Poland and the United States. The first set of tests were conducted at POLATOM
in Warsaw, Poland and reaffirmed previous testing that the Company's proprietary
resins could withstand high levels of radiation, while meeting regulatory
standards for the production of Tc-99m. The second set of tests, conducted at
the Missouri University Research Reactor (MURR) in Columbia, Missouri,
reinforced the POLATOM results and demonstrated higher elution efficiencies. We
have filed patent applications in connection with our new process to produce
Tc-99m from Mo-99.


Dr. Louis F. Centofanti, CEO of Perma-Fix Medical and Perma-Fix Environmental
Services, commented, "These results further validate the strength of our
technology, which we believe has the potential to reshape the global supply
chain of Tc-99m in the United States and around the world. We believe the new
process is a less expensive process and does not require the use of
government-subsidized, weapons-grade materials. We believe our process also
addresses important issues associated with current production methods. Our
process can be performed in most standard research reactors, which should help
solve concerns regarding supply shortages of Tc-99m around the world. Second,
our process does not utilize Highly Enriched Uranium (HEU) or Low Enriched
Uranium (LEU) targets, which are frequently cited as proliferation risks.
Lastly, we believe our process eliminates many environmental concerns associated
with the current Mo-99 production methodology, including issues around
reprocessing of target materials and production of high level waste requiring
permanent disposal not currently provided for."


By way of background, Tc-99m is the most widely used medical isotope in the
world. It allows medical practitioners to image internal body organs and is used
in 80-85% of the 25 million diagnostic nuclear medical procedures each year in
the U.S. alone. Common procedures include: cardiac imaging; cancer detection
bone scans; gastrointestinal issues; and imaging of the brain, kidney, spleen
and infections. The radioisotope market in Europe alone is expected to reach
$1.6 billion in 2017, up from $1.1 billion in 2012. 


Nearly all of the world's supply of Tc-99m comes from the thermal fission of
highly enriched uranium (HEU) targets in a small number of highly specialized
reactors. The current process is costly and has proven an unreliable source of
radioactive material leading to severe worldwide shortages. The scheduled
closure of the NRU reactor in 2016 and the OSIRIS reactor in France in 2018 are
expected to have a further impact on the manufacturing and supply of these
isotopes. The current process also raises serious proliferation concerns related
to the threat associated with international production, transportation and/or
use of HEU in the production of medical isotopes.


We believe that Perma-Fix's technology overcomes these issues by using neutron
capture to activate natural Molybdenum, a common metal, to produce Mo-99, which
decays into Tc-99m. Unlike conventional processes, the Perma-Fix Medical process
can be produced locally using standard research and commercial reactors, thereby
eliminating the need for special purpose reactors. The new process encompasses
the full production cycle, from reactor to final medical supply, and should be
easily deployable around the world.


To overcome past issues with neutron activation of Molybdenum, Perma-Fix has
developed a specialized resin that is radiation resistant and holds large
quantities of Molybdenum, but at the same time releases almost 90% of the Tc-99m
as it forms from the decay of Mo-99. The resin, loaded with the activated Mo-99,
is placed in a Technetium generator and slowly washed with a saline based
solution. The eluent solution containing Tc-99m has been shown to meet targeted
USP and EUP standards for Pertechnetate.


About Perma-Fix Medical
Perma-Fix Medical with headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia (USA), is a subsidiary
of Perma-Fix Environmental Services, a NASDAQ listed company. It was formed to
develop, obtain FDA and other regulatory approval and commercialize a new
process to produce Technetium-99 (Tc-99m), the most widely used medical isotope
in the world. The new process is expected to solve worldwide shortages of Tc-99m
as it is less expensive, does not require the use of government-subsidized,
weapons-grade materials and can be easily deployed around the world using
standard research and commercial reactors, thereby eliminating the need for
special purpose reactors. 


About Perma-Fix Environmental Services 
Perma-Fix Environmental Services, Inc. is a nuclear services company and leading
provider of nuclear and mixed waste management services. The Company's nuclear
waste services include management and treatment of radioactive and mixed waste
for hospitals, research labs and institutions, federal agencies, including the
DOE, the Department of Defense ("DOD"), and the commercial nuclear industry. The
Company's nuclear services group provides project management, waste management,
environmental restoration, decontamination and decommissioning, and radiological
protection, safety and industrial hygiene capability to our clients. The Company
operates four nuclear waste treatment facilities and provides nuclear services
at DOE, DOD, and commercial facilities. Please visit us on the World Wide Web at
http://www.perma-fix.com.


This press release contains "forward-looking statements" which are based largely
on the Company's expectations and are subject to various business risks and
uncertainties, certain of which are beyond the Company's control.
Forward-looking statements generally are identifiable by use of the words such
as "believe", "expects", "intends", "anticipate", "plans to", "estimates",
"projects", and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements include, but are
not limited to: less expensive process, our process could help solve concerns
regarding supply shortage of Tc-99, and elimination of many environmental
concerns associated with current Mo-99 manufacturing methods. These
forward-looking statements are intended to qualify for the safe harbors from
liability established by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
While the Company believes the expectations reflected in this news release are
reasonable, it can give no assurance such expectations will prove to be correct.
There are a variety of factors which could cause future outcomes to differ
materially from those described in this release, including, without limitation,
future economic conditions; industry conditions; competitive pressures; our
ability to produce and market our new technology; U.S. and foreign governmental
laws and regulations adopted from time to time; inability to raise necessary
capital for Perma-Fix Medical; validity of our patents or patent applications in
connection with this new technology; and the additional factors referred to
under "Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements" of our 2012 Form
10-K/A and continued in our March 31, June 30 and September 30, 2013 Form 10-Qs.
The Company makes no commitment to disclose any revisions to forward-looking
statements, or any facts, events or circumstances after the date hereof that
bear upon forward-looking statements.


Please visit us on the World Wide Web at http://www.perma-fix.com.


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT: 

Contacts:
David K. Waldman-US Investor Relations
Crescendo Communications, LLC
(212) 671-1021

Herbert Strauss-European Investor Relations
herbert@eu-ir.com
+43 316 296 316

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