Radiopharmaceuticals Market to Reach USD 15.21 Billion by 2035 as Radioligand Therapy Moves Earlier in Cancer Care and Curium–Lantheus Reshapes the Competitive Map

North America Holds 43.95% of a USD 8.28 Billion Market, Diagnostics Lead and Therapeutics Grow Fastest: Precedence Research Segment, Company and Buyer Intelligence

Ottawa, Nov. 12, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --

The global radiopharmaceuticals market is valued at USD 8.28 billion in 2026, up from USD 7.51 billion in 2025, and is projected to reach USD 15.21 billion by 2035 at a CAGR of 7.31%. North America held 43.95% of 2025 revenue, and the U.S. market is expected to grow from USD 2.7 billion in 2025 to about USD 5.4 billion by 2035.

Precedence Research today released updated intelligence on the global radiopharmaceuticals market, covering radioactive drugs used to image disease and to treat it, from technetium-99m heart and bone scans to PET tracers for prostate cancer and lutetium-177 radioligand therapies. The market is valued at USD 8.28 billion in 2026 and is forecast to reach USD 15.21 billion by 2035, adding USD 6.93 billion in annual revenue.

The field is shifting from imaging toward treatment. Diagnostics still account for about 60% of revenue, but therapeutics are the fastest-growing type as radioligand therapies move into earlier stages of cancer. On July 31, 2026, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Novartis's Pluvicto for PSMA-positive metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer, nearly doubling the eligible patient population. Pluvicto sales reached USD 674 million in the third quarter of 2026, up 20%.

The competitive map is also changing. Curium agreed in August 2026 to acquire Lantheus for up to about USD 8.0 billion, combining two of the largest suppliers, and in September the FDA approved Lantheus's Bravnetsa, the first therapeutically equivalent version of Novartis's Lutathera. Large drugmakers including Eli Lilly, AstraZeneca, Bristol Myers Squibb and Sanofi are building radiopharma pipelines. For developers, isotope producers, radiopharmacies, hospitals and investors, isotope supply, manufacturing and delivery logistics now decide who can scale.

Full report: https://www.precedenceresearch.com/radiopharmaceuticals-market

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Market Size and Growth

Sources: Expert Interview, Secondary Sources, Precedence Research Database, Precedence Research Analysts and Researcher

Figure 1: Radiopharmaceuticals Market Snapshot

Sources: Expert Interview, Secondary Sources, Precedence Research Database, Precedence Research Analysts and Researcher

Growth combines a large, steady diagnostic base with a faster-growing therapeutic layer. Therapy revenue per patient is far higher than imaging, so each new therapeutic approval adds more value than a new tracer.

Segment Intelligence: Dominant and Fastest-Growing Segments

2026 values below apply the approximate 2025 shares published by Precedence Research to the 2026 market size of USD 8.28 billion and are modeled estimates.

Radiopharmaceuticals Market by Type and Application

Sources: Expert Interview, Secondary Sources, Precedence Research Database, Precedence Research Analysts and Researcher

Radiopharmaceuticals Market: Leading and Fastest-Growing Segments

Sources: Expert Interview, Secondary Sources, Precedence Research Database, Precedence Research Analysts and Researcher

Type. Diagnostics lead because SPECT and PET scans are used every day in cardiology, oncology and neurology. Therapeutics grow fastest, led by lutetium-177 products such as Pluvicto and Lutathera, which together account for most therapy revenue.

Radioisotope. Technetium-99m remains the workhorse of nuclear medicine. Gallium-68 grows fastest, driven by PSMA and somatostatin-receptor PET imaging that selects patients for radioligand therapy, a model known as theranostics.

Sources: Expert Interview, Secondary Sources, Precedence Research Database, Precedence Research Analysts and Researcher

Regional and Country Analysis

Radiopharmaceuticals Market by Region

Sources: Expert Interview, Secondary Sources, Precedence Research Database, Precedence Research Analysts and Researcher

North America. The U.S. leads because new therapies launch there first and the PET imaging network is extensive. Novartis has five U.S. radioligand manufacturing sites operating or under construction and can deliver Pluvicto to treatment sites within five days, a sign of how logistics define competitiveness in this market.

Europe. Europe is the second-largest region, with a long nuclear medicine tradition and key isotope producers. New production capacity, such as PanTera's actinium-225 project in Belgium, supports the next wave of alpha therapies.

Asia Pacific. Asia Pacific grows fastest. Novartis cited new approvals in China among the drivers of third-quarter 2026 Pluvicto growth, and Japan's Nihon Medi-Physics and other regional suppliers are expanding diagnostic networks.

Sources: Expert Interview, Secondary Sources, Precedence Research Database, Precedence Research Analysts and Researcher

What Is Changing in the Industry

Figure 2: Radiopharmaceutical Leaders, Latest Reported Signals

Sources: Expert Interview, Secondary Sources, Precedence Research Database, Precedence Research Analysts and Researcher

Radioligand therapy is moving into earlier disease. On July 31, 2026, the FDA approved Pluvicto with an androgen receptor pathway inhibitor for PSMA-positive metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer, based on the PSMAddition trial, which showed a 33% reduction in the risk of progression or death in an updated analysis. Novartis says the label now covers all stages of PSMA-positive metastatic prostate cancer.

What it indicates: Therapy volumes will rise sharply, increasing demand for lutetium-177, PSMA PET scans and treatment capacity in hospitals.

Consolidation is creating a new major player. On August 3, 2026, Curium agreed to acquire Lantheus in an all-cash deal worth up to about USD 8.0 billion, including contingent value rights. Lantheus reported third-quarter 2026 revenue of USD 389.9 million, including USD 238.9 million from its PSMA PET agent Pylarify.

What it indicates: The combined company will hold an estimated share close to Novartis, with a full range of diagnostics, therapeutics and isotope supply.

Equivalent versions of therapies are arriving. On September 22, 2026, the FDA approved Lantheus's Bravnetsa (lutetium Lu 177 dotatate), the only radiopharmaceutical the agency has found therapeutically equivalent to Lutathera for certain neuroendocrine tumors. Lutathera generated USD 219 million in Novartis's third quarter.

What it indicates: Price competition is reaching therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals, which will widen access but pressure margins for first-generation products.

Big pharma is buying into the field. Novartis acquired Mariana Oncology and licensed a preclinical radioligand asset from BoomRay Pharmaceuticals in 2026. Eli Lilly has a collaboration with AdvanCell, AstraZeneca acquired Fusion Pharmaceuticals and Bristol Myers Squibb owns RayzeBio.

What it indicates: Pipelines are shifting toward alpha emitters such as actinium-225 and new targets beyond PSMA and somatostatin receptors.

Sources: Expert Interview, Secondary Sources, Precedence Research Database, Precedence Research Analysts and Researcher

Key Market Drivers

• Rising cancer incidence and demand for targeted cancer therapeutics.
• Theranostics, which pairs PET imaging with matched therapy to select patients.
• Label expansions that move radioligand therapy into earlier lines.
• Growth of PET imaging in cancer diagnostics, cardiology and neurology.
• Large pharma investment through acquisitions and licensing.
  
  

Sources: Expert Interview, Secondary Sources, Precedence Research Database, Precedence Research Analysts and Researcher

Major Challenges

• Limited and fragile isotope supply, especially actinium-225 and molybdenum-99.
• Short half-lives that require fast, tightly scheduled manufacturing and delivery.
• Shortage of nuclear medicine staff and treatment rooms in hospitals.
• Radiation safety regulation and waste handling costs.
• New equivalent products that bring price competition.
  
  

Sources: Expert Interview, Secondary Sources, Precedence Research Database, Precedence Research Analysts and Researcher

Emerging Opportunities

• Alpha-emitter therapies built on actinium-225 and lead-212.
• Gallium-68 and PET diagnostics, the fastest-growing isotope and modality.
• Isotope production and radiopharmaceutical CDMO services to relieve supply limits.
• Asia Pacific expansion, the fastest-growing region.
• New targets such as FAP, GRPR and CA9 beyond prostate and neuroendocrine cancers.
  
  

Sources: Expert Interview, Secondary Sources, Precedence Research Database, Precedence Research Analysts and Researcher

Company and Competitive Intelligence

Figure 3: Radiopharmaceuticals Estimated Company Shares

Sources: Expert Interview, Secondary Sources, Precedence Research Database, Precedence Research Analysts and Researcher

The market is concentrated. Precedence Research estimates that Novartis holds 28–30%, Lantheus 15–17%, Curium 12–14%, GE HealthCare 6–8% and Bayer 4–5%, with the top five holding 60–65% and the top ten 78–80%. Other key players include Cardinal Health, Telix, Jubilant Radiopharma, Eckert & Ziegler, Bracco, Siemens Healthineers (PETNET), ITM, Eli Lilly, Bristol Myers Squibb, AstraZeneca, Orano Med, NorthStar, SHINE, Nordion, Clarity, Perspective Therapeutics and Nihon Medi-Physics.

Sources: Expert Interview, Secondary Sources, Precedence Research Database, Precedence Research Analysts and Researcher

Customer and Buyer Intelligence

Sources: Expert Interview, Secondary Sources, Precedence Research Database, Precedence Research Analysts and Researcher

How Precedence Research Supports Decision-Making

Master Dataset provides segment, regional and company data for radiopharmaceuticals and adjacent markets such as the medical isotopes, nuclear medicine and oncology markets. It helps teams size demand by isotope, modality and application.

Precedence Quadrant compares radiopharma companies on products, pipeline, isotope access and manufacturing reach, helping partners and investors screen leaders.

Interactive Intelligence Dashboard tracks approvals, equivalents, acquisitions and isotope capacity news, so teams can respond quickly.

Quality & Manufacturing Intelligence maps isotope reactors, cyclotrons, radiopharmacies and CDMO capacity, supporting supply and site decisions.

Customized Research answers specific questions, such as actinium-225 supply outlook, theranostics adoption by country or the impact of the Curium–Lantheus deal.

Sources: Expert Interview, Secondary Sources, Precedence Research Database, Precedence Research Analysts and Researcher

Why Continuously Updated Intelligence Matters

Radiopharmaceutical approvals, isotope supply events and deals now arrive every month. Monthly updates suit commercial and supply teams tracking approvals and isotope availability. Quarterly updates match company sales of Pluvicto, Lutathera and Pylarify. Six-monthly updates help strategy teams follow label expansions and new equivalents, and annual updates support investors reviewing market size and share. Precedence Research offers all four update cycles.

Strategic Outlook

• CEOs and CXOs: the market nearly doubles to USD 15.21 billion by 2035; therapeutics will drive most new value.
• Strategy and business development teams: the Curium–Lantheus deal resets competition; mid-sized developers are likely targets.
• R&D leaders: alpha emitters and new targets offer differentiation as lutetium-177 products face equivalents.
• Procurement and supply teams: secure lutetium-177, gallium-68 and actinium-225 contracts early.
• Investors: isotope production and radiopharmacy networks are strategic assets as therapy volumes grow.
• Hospitals: expanding Pluvicto eligibility requires more treatment rooms, staff and PET capacity.

Sources: Expert Interview, Secondary Sources, Precedence Research Database, Precedence Research Analysts and Researcher

Company Ecosystem

Figure 4: Radiopharmaceuticals Company Ecosystem, 2026

Sources: Expert Interview, Secondary Sources, Precedence Research Database, Precedence Research Analysts and Researcher

Call to Action

To understand which isotopes, therapies and companies will lead radiopharmaceuticals through 2035, explore the full report or speak with a Precedence Research analyst.

• Report: https://www.precedenceresearch.com/radiopharmaceuticals-market
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