Development of a robot for dispensing thorium-227

Cody has broad knowledge and experience in pharmacy and radiopharmacy and has developed and supplied production equipment to Bayer over a long period of time. This time we have had the pleasure of delivering a very special robot for dispensing the radionuclide thorium-227. Thorium-227 is used in the production of Bayer's innovative medicines which are undergoing clinical trials.

Bayer is an exciting customer in an industry that places high demands on Cody in terms of both precision and creativity. The robot must be able to function in a demanding environment with radioactivity and acid fumes, and thus be able to perform tasks that would otherwise expose an operator to health risks. In addition, features have been designed in that allow the robot to be disassembled and assembled with simple tools, and transported in and out of the small sluice gate to the lead-shielded glove box where the robot is used. Here, Bayer and Cody have collaborated in the design and development phase to arrive at an optimal solution.

The robot is designed to dispense a chemical containing Thorium in vials. The operation requires a high degree of safety and stability to avoid accidental spillage of radioactive liquid. The robot automatically changes the pipette tip after a given number of fillings, and checks that both the pipette tip and the vial are present before the filling is carried out. To protect the operator at the start and end of production, we have also made a lead-shielded lid for the tray that holds the vials.

Cody is responsible for the entire delivery – from control system to robot, documentation and validation.