On May 15, 2025, an opening ceremony was held for the launch of a Cyclotron Complex for the production of radiopharmaceuticals designed for diagnosis and treatment in oncology. The state-of-the-art facility is located in the city of Panagyurishte. This project was conceived and implemented by the co-founders of the Bulgarian Radiopharmaceutical Company – Ivaylo Batinkov (CEO of Top Hospital Service EAD) and Dimitar Tsotsorkov (Manager of Divela Investments Ltd. and Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Asarel Medet AD). Their investment in the cyclotron alone, which was manufactured by General Electric Healthcare, amounts to 10 million euros. The facility was built and ready for operation in a record breaking time of 10 months.
“This is the fastest execution of a project of such scale,” said Simon McGuire, General Manager of General Electric Healthcare for Northern Europe.
The main contractor for the project was Glavbolgarstroy Plovdiv AD. “There was nothing but an empty field around here, when we made the first dig on June 21, 2024. With joint efforts, we were able to build the Cyclotron Complex in record breaking 10 months. I thank everyone who had been with us on this journey. In September, we expect to have all the necessary certificates from the Nuclear Regulatory Agency, the Executive Agency for Medicines, etc., to be able to produce the first doses of radiopharmaceuticals,” said Ivaylo Batinkov, CEO of Top Hospital Service EAD.
“We, at Asarel Medet and related companies, stay firmly behind our strategy for sustainable regional development, drawing on Prof. Lachezar Tsotsorkov’s legacy. We continue to execute projects that are not only economically viable but also give back to the community by improving healthcare, culture, education, and sports,” stated Dimitar Tsotsorkov, another driving force behind the Cyclotron Complex project.
“I am convinced this cutting edge facility will turn into a hub for innovation and scientific advancement, attracting young specialists and working for the benefit of society and research,” said Dr. Cvetolyub Mitev, manager of the MBAL Uni Hospital, at the ceremony.
“I am proud that with the inauguration of the most advanced cyclotron in the Balkans, our city becomes a trailblazer of the future and a champion on Bulgaria’s health map,” said the Mayor of Panagyurishte, Zhelyazko Gagov.
“We joined forces to build a highly specialized set of facilities that meets the highest standards of quality, safety, and functionality,” explained Svetoslav Lyubomirov, member of the Supervisory Board of Glavbolgarstroy Holding and CEO of Glavbolgarstroy International.
Guests at the opening toured the premises and were among the lucky few to enter the cyclotron bunker with 2.4 meters thick walls before it was sealed off and the equipment set in motion. At a briefing for journalists, Dobromir Voulov, Business Development Manager at the Bulgarian Radiopharmaceutical Company Ltd., unveiled some of the cyclotron’s technical features:
“This cyclotron has the capacity to produce up to four batches of radiopharmaceuticals per day, with two batches being sufficient to satisfy Bulgaria’s demand. The rest can be exported. The radiopharmaceuticals we will produce include FDG 18 for detecting tumour cells throughout the body; Carbon 11 for diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease; Oxygen 15 for heart examinations.”
“You have the top-notch cyclotron of all cyclotrons at your fingertips. The solid target technology takes it all to the next level as this is the technology of the future that you avail of today. The production capacity of the cyclotron can be upscaled immediately as soon as a new molecule is developed and emerges on the market,” explained Simon McGuire, General Manager of General Electric Healthcare for Northern Europe.
Ivaylo Batinkov pointed out that “Radiopharmaceuticals that treat breast cancer, lung cancer, and colon cancer are about to be introduced into clinical practice. Then, Bulgarian patients will be able to receive the best treatment available in their own country.
