Bucaramanga, Colombia – September 1, 2025 – Hospital Internacional de Colombia (HIC) and Synapse Global Theranostics have announced a bold new partnership to establish HIC as a global radiopharmaceutical and theranostic research leader. This alliance will create Latin America’s first world-class Molecular Imaging and Theranostics Research Institute (MITRI) at HIC, positioning the hospital at the forefront of precision medicine innovation. Under the partnership, HIC will acquire the cutting-edge IONETIX ION-12SC cyclotron – the world’s first commercial compact superconducting cyclotron – enabling on-site, on-demand production of medical isotopes for MITRI’s groundbreaking theranostics programs. “With MITRI, we are not just acquiring technology; we are fulfilling our mission to bring world-class, life-saving treatments to the people of Colombia and Latin America,” said Dr. Víctor Raúl Castillo Mantilla, President and CEO of HIC. “This institute represents a new hope for patients with complex diseases, placing HIC at the global forefront of personalized medicine”.
The creation of MITRI at HIC directly addresses longstanding bottlenecks in the global radiopharmaceutical industry. By housing a theranostics research institute within a hospital setting, HIC will enable radiopharma companies to conduct early-phase clinical trials on site – a capability virtually unheard of in Latin America until now. New diagnostic and therapeutic radioisotopes can be tested and validated faster, accelerating the development of next-generation cancer treatments and other precision therapies. Julio G. Martinez-Clark, CEO of Synapse Global Theranostics, emphasized the impact: “By integrating IONETIX’s revolutionary technology with HIC’s clinical excellence and our proven implementation model, we are creating a self-sufficient ecosystem that solves the region’s historical challenges with radiopharmaceutical access. We are building the future of precision medicine, right here in Bucaramanga”. In short, MITRI will serve as a crucial platform for world-class clinical research in theranostics. This unique achievement solidifies HIC’s role as a pioneer of medical innovation in the region. For the first time, Latin American physicians and patients will have local access to cutting-edge theranostic trials at the quality level previously seen only in the world’s top research centers.
HIC’s theranostics institute is poised to redefine clinical research in Latin America. It will be the continent’s first facility capable of conducting first-in-human and early-phase trials for novel radiopharmaceuticals, elevating Colombia’s scientific standing and giving regional patients access to potentially life-saving experimental treatments years before they might otherwise. This paradigm shift – bringing trials to Latin America rather than exporting them abroad – positions HIC as a beacon of medical innovation for the region. The MITRI program, guided by Synapse’s technology transfer expertise and operational know-how from the U.S.-based CIRA Health network, ensures that HIC’s clinical research will meet the highest international standards from day one. In turn, global pharmaceutical and biotech sponsors now have a trusted, high-caliber site in Latin America to conduct theranostic research, alleviating capacity constraints in the industry. This unprecedented capability firmly anchors world-class clinical research in Latin America’s soil, heralding a new era where regional institutions like HIC stand shoulder-to-shoulder with North America and Europe in advanced medical trials.
Further underscoring its commitment to excellence, HIC is actively working toward earning the prestigious IAOCR/GCSA clinical research certification – a globally recognized “gold standard” accreditation for clinical trial sites. Achieving this certification will make HIC the first clinical trial site of its kind in Latin America to meet this elite benchmark. The Global Clinical Site Assessment (GCSA) credential, developed in collaboration with leading pharmaceutical companies and regulators, evaluates research sites on critical factors like patient engagement, regulatory compliance, and data quality. HIC’s drive to attain GCSA status signals to international sponsors that its MITRI facility operates at world-class quality levels, ensuring trials are conducted to the highest ethical and operational standards. This pursuit of accreditation, alongside HIC’s recent membership in the Mayo Clinic Care Network and longstanding Joint Commission International (JCI) credentials, cements the hospital’s reputation as a trailblazer in clinical research excellence across Latin America. By December 2025, HIC expects to don the mantle of GCSA-certified site, reinforcing to partners and patients alike that MITRI is synonymous with international best practices in research.
At the core of this initiative is the IONETIX ION-12SC cyclotron, a breakthrough in medical technology that gives hospitals unprecedented control over their radiopharmaceutical supply chain. Traditionally, even advanced medical centers have relied on importing short-lived radioisotopes, facing high costs, complex logistics, and frequent supply disruptions. The ION-12SC transforms this model by enabling decentralized, on-demand production of PET radioisotopes directly on the hospital campus. Thanks to its compact superconducting design and advanced automation, it can be installed in a relatively small space and operated by a specialized team, while still generating critical tracers as needed—eliminating delays and cancellations caused by external suppliers. In practice, this allows HIC to produce vital diagnostic agents such as N-13 ammonia, which has a half-life of just 10 minutes and cannot be transported over long distances, ensuring timely scans and treatments for patients. “The ION-12SC offers a simple, reliable, and productive solution that brings radiopharmaceutical production closer to the point of care,” notes Ionetix, highlighting how the system provides healthcare providers with consistent isotope availability and full control over scheduling. For hospital executives, the message is clear: a cyclotron-equipped facility secures a decisive competitive advantage—the ability to deliver advanced theranostic diagnostics and therapies independently, without supply bottlenecks. This in-house capability enhances patient care, streamlines operations, and positions the hospital as an innovative leader in the market.
As HIC and Synapse light the way with this pioneering program, other forward-thinking hospital executives should take notice. Theranostics – the integration of therapeutics and diagnostics – represents the future of precision medicine, and the tools to practice it are no longer confined to elite research centers. The success of MITRI at HIC serves as a blueprint for hospitals worldwide: it demonstrates that with the right partnerships and technology, any ambitious institution can transform itself into a hub for next-generation care. Hospitals unlock the door to high-value clinical research and treatments that set them apart from competitors by investing in compact cyclotron technology and establishing on-site radiopharmaceutical production. Many top-tier hospitals today have state-of-the-art PET scanners but remain at the mercy of distant suppliers for the isotopes they need. The HIC-Synapse partnership shows there is a better way – a decentralized model where hospitals become self-sufficient in critical isotope supply, enabling them to launch novel clinical trials and offer cutting-edge theranostic services that attract global talent and research funding.
High-level decision makers in healthcare are thus encouraged to envision cyclotron technology as a strategic asset. The ability to produce isotopes on demand is more than just an operational improvement; it is a platform for innovation that can elevate an institution’s stature from local provider to international research leader. As Colombia’s HIC has demonstrated, embracing this medtech leap can turn a hospital into a magnet for medical breakthroughs and an epicenter of hope for patients. Now is the time for CEOs to seize the theranostics opportunity – to integrate cyclotron capabilities and usher their hospitals into the forefront of the precision medicine revolution. The institutions that act boldly today will shape the healthcare landscape of tomorrow, leveraging technologies like the ION-12SC to deliver extraordinary care and unlock new realms of scientific and competitive advantage.
The Hospital Internacional de Colombia (HIC), part of the Fundación Cardiovascular de Colombia (FCV) medical complex, is one of Latin America's most advanced and recognized healthcare institutions. As the only hospital in South America to be a Mayo Clinic Care Network member, HIC offers its physicians access to the knowledge and expertise of one of the world's leading medical centers. Accredited by the Joint Commission International (JCI), HIC is renowned for its centers of excellence in high-complexity care, including cardiology, oncology, and neurology. With a steadfast commitment to patient safety, cutting-edge research, and medical innovation, HIC provides world-class healthcare services to patients from across the globe.
IONETIX is a U.S.-based leader in cyclotron technology and radiopharmaceutical manufacturing. The company developed the world's first commercial compact superconducting cyclotron, the ION-12SC, a revolutionary system designed to make on-site isotope production feasible for hospitals and research centers worldwide. IONETIX is dedicated to expanding global access to scarce diagnostic and therapeutic isotopes, enabling advancements in precision medicine for cardiac, oncologic, and neurologic diseases.
Synapse Global Theranostics is a specialized Management Services Organization (MSO) established to design, implement, and operate advanced molecular imaging and theranostics centers across Latin America. A joint venture between clinical research experts bioaccess® and radiopharmaceutical pioneers Nucleotron MIT, Synapse provides a comprehensive, turnkey solution that de-risks and accelerates the adoption of precision medicine. The company holds exclusive rights to IONETIX's ION-12SC cyclotron technology for the Latin American region.