The main contractor for the project is Glavbolgarstroy – Plovdiv AD, and the investment in equipment alone exceeds €10 million.

On May 15, 2025, a blessing ceremony marked the official opening of the Cyclotron Complex for Radiopharmaceutical Production in the courtyard of Uni Hospital in Panagyurishte. The facility is designed to produce radiopharmaceuticals used in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer.

The project was conceived and implemented through the efforts of the co-founders of Bulgarian Radiopharmaceutical Company LLC—Ivaylo Batinkov, CEO of Top Hospital Service EAD, and Dimitar Tsotsorkov, Managing Director of Divela Investments LLC and Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Assarel-Medet AD. Their investment in the cyclotron itself—manufactured by GE Healthcare—amounts to €10 million. The facility was built and prepared for operation in a record 10 months. “This is the fastest implementation of such a project,” emphasized Simon Maguire, General Manager for Northern Europe at GE Healthcare. The general contractor was Glavbolgarstroy – Plovdiv AD.

“This was just an empty field when we broke ground on June 21, 2024. Through a collective effort, we managed to build the Cyclotron Complex in just 10 months. I thank everyone who participated in the process. In September, we expect to receive all necessary certifications from the Nuclear Regulatory Agency, the Executive Agency for Medicines, and others, so we can begin producing the first doses of radiopharmaceuticals,” said Ivaylo Batinkov, CEO of Top Hospital Service EAD.

Dimitar Tsotsorkov, one of the project’s key drivers, added: “At Assarel-Medet and its affiliated companies, we continue to pursue a strategy for the sustainable development of the region, following the legacy of Prof. Lachezar Tsotsorkov. We continue to implement projects that are not only economically sound but also benefit society in healthcare, culture, education, and sports.”

“The opening of this new Cyclotron Complex is not just a milestone for the local community, but for the entire country. I am confident this high-tech center will become a hub of innovation and scientific advancement, attracting young professionals and working for the benefit of society and science,” said Dr. Tsvetolyub Mitev, Director of Uni Hospital.

“This is a significant investment that expands the portfolio of radiopharmaceuticals needed for oncology diagnostics and treatment. The facility enables rapid delivery of radiopharmaceuticals to all 15 PET scanners across the country, which is a major service for Bulgarian patients,” highlighted Dr. Sonya Ruseva, nuclear medicine specialist at the Oncology Center of Uni Hospital.

“I am proud that with the opening of the most advanced cyclotron in the Balkans, our town is becoming a symbol of the future and taking a leading position on Bulgaria’s medical map,” stated Zhelyazko Gagov, Mayor of Panagyurishte.

“In just ten months, we completed a technologically complex and significant project. We are grateful to the investor for the trust and constructive partnership. Together, we built a highly specialized facility that meets the highest standards of quality, safety, and functionality. It was an honor for us to be part of its realization, and we wish great success to the team that will operate it,” said Svetoslav Lyubomirov, Member of the Supervisory Board of Glavbolgarstroy Holding and CEO of Glavbolgarstroy International.

During the event, guests toured the facility and had the rare opportunity to enter the cyclotron bunker—featuring walls 2.4 meters thick—before it was sealed and the equipment activated.

In a press briefing, Dobromir Vulov, Business Development Manager at Bulgarian Radiopharmaceutical Company LLC, presented the cyclotron’s technical specifications:
“The cyclotron accelerates particles using two magnets that alternate their polarity in milliseconds. Once an electron reaches the required speed, it is directed at a thin graphite foil. Passing through the foil, it becomes positively charged and is guided toward liquid targets containing enriched water with oxygen-18 atoms. This generates the radioactive isotope Fluorine-18, which is then processed through synthesis lines to automatically produce radiopharmaceuticals, later dosed into individual vials. Production takes 2–3 hours, and the vials are packed in lead containers and refrigerated for transport across the country within three hours to any location with a PET scanner.”

The cyclotron can produce up to four batches per day, with two batches sufficient to meet Bulgaria’s national needs. The remaining capacity allows for export. The radiopharmaceuticals that can be produced include FDG-18 for whole-body tumor cell detection, Carbon-11 for diagnosing Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, and Oxygen-15 for cardiac imaging.

“You now possess the most advanced technology available among cyclotrons. The addition for working with solid targets is a future-oriented technology you already have access to today. Cyclotron production can be scaled up the moment a new molecule is developed and launched on the market,” explained Simon Maguire, General Manager at GE Healthcare for Northern Europe.

Ivaylo Batinkov emphasized that the era of theranostics is coming—combining cancer cell detection with targeted treatment using monoclonal antibodies. “Monoclonal antibodies are paired with charged particles and directed specifically at tumor cells to destroy them. We already have Lutetium, used to treat advanced prostate cancer. Radiopharmaceuticals for treating breast, lung, and colorectal cancer are on the way. This means Bulgarian patients will soon have access to world-class treatment right here in their own country,” he concluded.