University of Miami pediatrician, Judith L. Schaechter, M.D., gives an HPV vaccination to a 13-year-old girl in her office at the Miller School of Medicine on September 21, 2011 in Miami, Florida. Photo by Joe Raedle, Getty Images.

By Madelyn Hanes
Indiana Capital Chronicle

INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana has a new name. With its growing field of precision medicine and life sciences, the state has secured the title of Radiopharmaceutical Capital of the World.

BioCrossroads, a life sciences initiative based in Indianapolis, led the effort to trademark the designation through the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office according to a press release.

“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. “We’ll leverage this fitting title to further elevate Indiana as a center of excellence in this exciting, dynamic area of medicine that is helping transform the standard of care to the benefit of patients throughout the world.”

A radiopharmaceutical is a drug that contains radioactive substances and can be used to diagnose or treat several medical conditions, including cancer and hyperthyroidism. Indiana is home to 15 nuclear medicine companies in various stages of growth and development, according to BioCrossroads.

Indiana also leads the U.S. in life sciences exports, pharmaceutical exports and stands as the only U.S. supplier of four critical radioisotopes essential for diagnostic and therapeutic applications.

To secure the official title, BioCrossroads collaborated with several leaders across academia and industry, including Purdue University, home to the nations largest radiopharmaceutical pharmacy program and Indiana University School of Medicine’s Department of Radiology, which is ranked first in NIH funding among Big Ten universities.

In Spring 2026, Purdue will launch the nation’s first graduate degree program in radiopharmaceutical manufacturing. The program, created in partnership with SpectronRx, will combine hybrid coursework with hands-on training at facilities in Indianapolis.

Industry leaders including Eli Lily and Company, Novartis and RayzeBio also contributed to the initiative. Novartis expanded patient access to advanced radiopharmaceutical treatments like Pluvictio, while RayzeBio recently opened a radiopharmaceutical therapy facility in Indiana.

In 2024, Indiana surpassed California to become the top state in U.S. life sciences exports, according to the release.