Shine Technologies Explained

SHINE Technologies
Type:	L.L.C.
Industry:	Radiopharmaceutical
Foundation:	June 2010
Founder:	Gregory Piefer
Location City:	Janesville, Wisconsin

Shine Technologies (stylized as SHINE Technologies) is a private corporation based in Janesville, Wisconsin. The company applies nuclear fusion and advanced separation technologies across fields of critical need, including nondestructive testing, radiation hardening services for industrial and defense applications, and the production of radioisotopes, including n.c.a. lutetium-177 for cancer treatment.

SHINE is also engaged in research and development for recycling nuclear fuel, and aspires to produce economical fusion energy resulting from continuous reinvestment of a portion of its earnings from earlier phase businesses. SHINE's key differentiator versus other fusion companies is that its business model is focused on achieving economic breakeven for fusion, rather than scientific or engineering breakeven for fusion energy.

History

SHINE Technologies originated from Phoenix Nuclear Labs, founded by Dr. Gregory Piefer in 2005. The company was founded on the idea that the fastest path to achieving economically viable fusion energy was to commercialize near-term applications that allowed for improvement by practice and reinvestment. Phoenix initially pioneered fusion-based technology for industrial nondestructive testing, establishing a foundation in solid and then gas-target neutron generation with the goal to increase target temperature over time that will lead to more efficient fusion yields.^{[1] [2]}

In 2010, SHINE Medical Technologies was spun off, focusing on medical isotope production using fusion technology.^[3]

In 2013, SHINE Technologies constructed a full-scale prototype fusion device at its Monona, Wisconsin facility, proving the feasibility of its fusion neutron generator.^[4]

An independent validation by Argonne National Laboratory in June 2015 confirmed that SHINE's production, separation, and purification process could generate Mo-99, meeting strict purity standards of the British Pharmacopoeia.^{[5] [6] [7]}

In 2016, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) granted a construction permit for SHINE's Janesville facility, known as the Chrysalis.^[8]

In July 2019, SHINE Technologies and Phoenix Nuclear Labs collaboratively set a world record for the strongest sustained nuclear fusion reaction in a steady-state system.^{[9] [10] [11]}

In 2021, SHINE Technologies reacquired Phoenix Nuclear Labs to integrate their fusion technology and isotope production capabilities. This merger marked the transition from SHINE Medical Technologies LLC to SHINE Technologies LLC, reflecting its broader focus within the nuclear technology sector.^{[12] [13]}

In 2023, SHINE Technologies captured the first-ever image of Cherenkov radiation from a commercial fusion device, validating their beam-target fusion technology and attracting additional investment.^[14]

In 2023, the NRC issued both its final supplemental environmental impact statement and Final Safety Evaluation Report for the Chrysalis, concluding that there were no safety aspects precluding the issuance of the license for operation.^[15]

In 2024, SHINE Technologies submitted a Drug Master File to the FDA for non-carrier-added lutetium-177, a radiopharmaceutical used in precision cancer treatment.^[16]

Products and services

Medical isotopes

SHINE Technologies plans to produce a range of isotopes, especially focused on those that are produced with neutrons such as Molybdenum-99 (Mo-99), which is used to create Tc-99m for diagnostic scans. SHINE's fusion-driven Mo-99 production technology expects to reduce nuclear waste and improve reliability compared to traditional methods. This approach uses fusion-driven sub-critical targets and allows for the reuse of low-enriched uranium. SHINE's Chrysalis facility incorporates multiple production systems to ensure continued supply of radioisotopes even if one accelerator is offline.^{[17] [7]}

SHINE also produces n.c.a. Lutetium-177, a radioactive isotope used in targeted cancer therapy and its precursor material ytterbium-176 (Yb-176). In 2024, SHINE submitted a Drug Master File to the FDA for n.c.a. Lu-177 and opened Cassiopeia, North America's largest Lu-177 processing facility, with an initial production capacity of 100,000 doses per year, expandable to 200,000 doses. Producing Lu-177 in North America reduces transit times and minimizes decay losses during shipping.^{[18] [19] [20]} Today, SHINE uses neutrons from external reactors to irradiate Yb-176, but anticipates that it will switch to internal sources as its Chrysalis facility comes online.^{[21] [22]}

Radiation effects testing

SHINE Technologies offers FLARE (Fusion Linear Accelerator for Radiation Effects Testing), providing high fluence 14 MeV neutrons for testing the reliability of components under radiation. This service is used in various fusion technology applications including materials validation and breeder blanket development, as well as defense and commercial rad-hardness testing.^{[23] [24]}

Facilities

SHINE Technologies operates several facilities:

• Chrysalis: Currently under construction at the Janesville, Wisconsin campus, it is planned to serve as a flexible irradiation source and a site for producing fission and neutron capture based isotopes (including molybdenum-99 and lutetium-177). Chrysalis will use SHINE's fusion technology to drive much of the irradiation process, and the facility will house several fusion based neutron generators.^{[11] [10]}
• Cassiopeia: Opened in 2024 at the Janesville campus, it is the largest production facility for non-carrier-added lutetium-177 (n.c.a. Lu-177) in North America, with a capacity of up to 100,000 patient doses per year.^[18]
• Building One: SHINE's research and development proving ground, Building One is where SHINE's high output DT fusion sources were first demonstrated and where its commercial Lu-177 processing technology was developed. It also serves as the operating location for the FLARE rad-effects testing business. ^{[25] [26]}
• Heliopolis: Located in Fitchburg, Wisconsin, this facility houses the SHINE internal systems and manufacturing organization. This is where SHINE manufactures internal equipment for fusion and nuclear technology manufacturing.^[27]
• Veendam, Netherlands: SHINE has a small office here with plans to establish irradiation and isotope production facilities, marking the company's expansion into the European market.^[28]

Business strategy

SHINE Technologies employs a four-phased business strategy aimed at leveraging current fusion technology for revenue generation and reinvestment that enable steady and sustainable progress towards commercial fusion energy.^[29]

• Phase 1: Neutron testing: This phase uses fusion technology for non-destructive testing in industries such as aerospace, defense, and energy, and includes neutron imaging and rad-effects testing. Today, the neutron imaging service is operated through SHINE's sister company, Phoenix Neutron Imaging. These services, historically provided by aged fission reactors are now being transitioned to SHINE's fusion-based technologies.^[13]
• Phase 2: Medical isotope production: SHINE focuses on producing neutron-based isotopes including molybdenum-99 (Mo-99) for medical imaging and non-carrier-added lutetium-177 (n.c.a. Lu-177) for cancer treatment. Its goal over time is to reduce the world's reliance on fission reactors by replacing that capacity with fusion-based neutron generation, as it has already demonstrated in phase 1.^{[4] [9]}
• Phase 3: Recycling nuclear waste: SHINE plans to build a pilot plant for recycling used nuclear fuel from light water reactors, utilizing fusion neutron generation technology to transmute long-lived isotopes into shorter-lived or stable elements. The pilot plant is designed to be proliferation resistant initially targeting a modified PUREX process called codecontamination (CoDCon) for uranium/plutonium recycle, along with an actinide-lanthanide separation (ALSEP) process to isolate minor actinides for future transmutation. The process for recycling waste mirrors the isotope production and separation process used in SHINE's Chrysalis facility. Fusion transmutation facilities in phase 3 are expected to be similar to devices planned for fusion energy while operating at much lower operational uptime, not needing to be Q>1, and receiving higher payment per reaction versus fusion energy.^{[30] [31] [32]}
• Phase 4: Commercial fusion energy: The ultimate goal of SHINE is to achieve commercially viable fusion energy generation, building on the knowledge, technology, and experience developed in the previous phases.

Notes and References

1. Web site: SBIR-STTR-Success: Phoenix Nuclear Labs (Phoenix, LLC) . July 7, 2020 . SBIR.gov . July 30, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210509184729/https://www.sbir.gov/node/1704115 . May 9, 2021.
2. Web site: Phoenix Awarded US Army IDIQ Contract to Demonstrate Neutron Radiography. NDT.org. July 30, 2024.
3. Web site: SHINE Medical Technologies founder honored by University of Wisconsin-Madison . Michael Walter . January 11, 2016 . Radiology Business . May 28, 2024.
4. News: Testing 1, 2, 3: SHINE makes progress at demonstration facility . dead . Jim . Leute . Janesville Gazette . February 17, 2013 . July 17, 2015 . July 21, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150721154454/http://www.gazettextra.com/news/2013/feb/17/testing-1-2-3-shine-makes-progress-demonstration-f/ .
5. Web site: Argonne confirms new commercial method for producing medical isotope . Argonne National Lab . Greg . Cunningham . June 15, 2015 . July 17, 2015 .
6. Web site: Argonne confirms new commercial method for producing medical isotope . June 15, 2015 . EurekAlert!.
7. Chemical Processing of mini-SHINE Target Solutions for Recovery and Purification of Mo-99 . Rotsch . D.A. . Youker, A.J. . Tkac, P. . Mo-99 2014 Topical Meeting on Molybdenum-99 Technological Development . June 24-27, 2014.
8. News: SHINE Medical wins NRC's OK to build medical isotope plant . Judy . Newman . Wisconsin State Journal . February 25, 2016 . February 25, 2016 .
9. Web site: Monona's Phoenix, SHINE break global record . October 2, 2019 . In Business Madison.
10. Web site: World Record for Strongest Nuclear Fusion Reaction in a Steady-State System Achieved by Phoenix and Shine . October 28, 2019 . ITN Online.
11. Web site: Phoenix and SHINE achieve world record for strongest nuclear fusion reaction in a steady-state system . October 3, 2019 . HNG News.
12. News: SHINE Technologies alters name to reflect long-term fusion energy goal . September 27, 2021 . Milwaukee Business Journal.
13. Web site: Shiny Happy Future: SHINE-Phoenix Merger Focused On Advancing Fusion Technology . April 22, 2021 . Forbes.
14. Web site: SHINE Technologies Achieves Visible Proof of Fusion . August 17, 2023 . Fusion Energy Insights.
15. Web site: SHINE receives final EIS to operate its Mo-99 production facility . February 8, 2023 . Nuclear News.
16. Web site: SHINE submits drug master file to FDA . April 9, 2024 . Wispolitics.com . May 28, 2024.
17. Web site: Shine, Argonne demo Mo-99 process . June 14, 2015 . AuntMinnie.com.
18. Web site: SHINE raises $70M in state's largest deal of the year so far . October 12, 2023 . WisBusiness.
19. Web site: Therapeutics Laboratory Facility (SHINE Cassiopeia). Findorff.com. 2024-05-28.
20. Web site: SHINE to open North America's largest Lu-177 production facility . June 27, 2023 . Nuclear News . May 28, 2024.
21. Web site: Shine Technologies Partners with Blue Earth Therapeutics for First Supply of Ilumira from Its New Facility. ITN. 7 June 2024 . 2024-07-30.
22. Web site: Radioisotopes in Medicine. World Nuclear Association. 2024-07-30.
23. Web site: SHINE to offer new radiation testing service later this year . April 25, 2023 . WisBusiness . May 28, 2024.
24. Web site: SHINE Medical Technologies v. 0 - Chapter 04 - Irradiation Unit and Radioisotope Production Facility Description . May 29, 2013 . Nuclear Regulatory Commission . May 28, 2024.
25. Web site: SHINE starts construction of the first building in its Janesville campus . Judy Newman . August 5, 2017 . Wisconsin State Journal . May 28, 2024.
26. Web site: SHINE Building One Construction Complete . February 13, 2018 . SHINE Technologies . May 28, 2024.
27. Web site: Nuclear fusion company with Madison-area ties gets $70M . November 17, 2023 . Wisconsin State Journal . May 28, 2024.
28. Web site: SHINE Europe to build isotope plant in Netherlands for Mo-99 production . February 8, 2022 . Dotmed.
29. Web site: Our Scalable Approach Toward Cost-Effective Fusion Energy . SHINE Technologies . May 28, 2024.
30. Web site: SHINE looks to license used fuel recycling facility . November 1, 2023 . Radwaste Solutions.
31. Web site: Plans announced for pilot US nuclear fuel recycling plant . March 1, 2024 . World Nuclear News.
32. Web site: Used Nuclear Fuel Recycling Agreement Signed by Orano and SHINE Technologies. Orano. 2024-07-30.