National designation reinforces Indiana’s global leadership in radiopharmaceutical innovation, manufacturing, and supply chain infrastructure.
It’s official: Indiana is the Radiopharmaceutical Capital of the World®.
This designation is not just branding, it’s the culmination of years of strategic growth, investment, academic leadership, and private-sector collaboration. Fueled by cutting-edge innovation, world-class logistics, and robust partnerships across higher education and industry, Indiana is defining the global future of radiopharmaceuticals.
Radiopharmaceuticals are precision-targeted therapies that pair diagnostic imaging with therapeutic treatment—transforming how cancer and other diseases are diagnosed and treated. These medicines require advanced infrastructure, tight regulatory oversight, highly skilled personnel, and a distribution network capable of delivering time-sensitive doses across the country in hours. Indiana checks every box:
• Location and logistics: With the second-largest FedEx hub in the world, Indiana is a day’s drive from 80% of the U.S. population. This is mission-critical for drugs with short half-lives—some of which decay within hours.
• Specialized infrastructure: Indiana is home to multiple integrated clean rooms, cyclotrons, and specialized isotope production facilities that support both clinical and commercial-scale manufacturing.
• Global reach: The state now leads the U.S. in pharmaceutical exports, having overtaken California in 2024 as the #1 state for life sciences exports—a testament to the scale and capability of its ecosystem.
At the heart of Indiana’s radiopharmaceutical future is Purdue, a national leader in nuclear pharmacy education. In 2025, Purdue announced the first-of-its-kind Master’s in Radiopharmaceutical Manufacturing, which will launched in Indianapolis in spring 2026. The program was developed with industry partner SpectronRx and will feature hybrid coursework with hands-on training at a dedicated, co-located facility at SpectronRx’s headquarters.
“This program reflects Purdue’s commitment to aligning academic innovation with industry demand,” said Dr. David Umulis, Senior Vice Provost for Purdue University in Indianapolis. “By equipping the next generation of radiopharmaceutical professionals, we’re helping Indiana strengthen its position as a global leader in precision medicine.”
Purdue also boasts one of the only nuclear pharmacy programs in the U.S., producing highly trained pharmacists, engineers, and quality-control experts vital to this sector.
Another critical partner in supporting and growing the ecosystem is the Indiana University (IU) School of Medicine. IU contributes world-class expertise through its top-ranked, NIH-funded radiology research, bridging basic science with clinical applications and translational therapies. IU also partners with Purdue and other institutions to expand specialized training and residency programs in radiology, nuclear medicine, and imaging science. Together, these institutions form a talent pipeline that supports a fast-growing, innovation-driven workforce.
Indiana is home to some of the biggest companies in the radiopharmaceutical world, representing more than $200 million in new facility investment in just the last few years. These companies represent a wide range of applications, from diagnostics and imaging agents to full-scale radiotherapeutics, solidifying Indiana’s leadership across the radiopharmaceutical value chain.
The success of Indiana’s radiopharmaceutical industry is due in large part to seamless collaboration between universities, manufacturers, workforce agencies, and state partners.
“Indiana’s life sciences sector continues to accelerate because of our commitment to innovation, collaboration, and execution,” said Dan Peterson, Chair of the BioCrossroads Board of Directors and Vice President of Industry and Government Affairs at Cook Group.
Indiana employs more than 70,000 life sciences professionals statewide. Average industry wages top $100,000/year, with thousands of new roles expected in R&D, quality, cleanroom operations, and logistics. The U.S. radiopharmaceutical market—estimated at $6B in 2024—is projected to triple by 2035. Indiana is well-positioned to lead that growth, particularly in theranostics and targeted alpha therapy. As the only U.S. supplier of four critical radioisotopes and the home of multiple FDA-approved products and clinical-stage therapies, Indiana has proven its capability not just to compete, but to lead on the world stage.
“Indiana’s designation as the Radiopharmaceutical Capital of the World™ is a testament to the strength of our life sciences ecosystem, the innovation of our researchers, and the collaborative spirit that drives us forward,” said Vince Wong, President and CEO of BioCrossroads.
Indiana is redefining the radiopharmaceutical revolution. With deep talent, powerful logistics, and relentless innovation, the state is writing the next chapter in the history of medicine, one precise, patient-targeted dose at a time.
