Valentin Wiedling (USIL Therapeutics) discusses Europe’s radiological preparedness gap, the dual-format treatment designed for the battlefield and the hospital, and the road to market by 2028/29.
Why doesn’t Europe already have a treatment like this?
Mainly because of the lack of funding and interest in this field. Radiological threats were a Cold War subject, and after 1991 the topic went quiet for thirty years. Governments moved their attention elsewhere and private investors saw no market, so almost nothing was developed. That changed with the war in Ukraine, the strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, and nuclear language returning to political speech. Europe is now looking at what it actually has in stock, and the answer is close to nothing.
How would this actually be used, by doctors, soldiers, or ordinary first responders?
At USIL Therapeutics we are developing one treatment in two forms, for two different scenarios. UT-241 is an autoinjector, similar in use to an EpiPen, that a person can use on themselves or on someone next to them immediately before or after exposure, with no training and no special equipment. It’s intended to be used by soldiers, first responders and civil protection units working at the scene. UT-242 is an intravenous version for hospitals, given by doctors once patients have been brought in.
When could this treatment realistically reach patients?
We plan to file for approval with the regulatory bodies (Europe, United States, Japan) at the end of 2027, with market entry in 2028/29. Between now and then, the job is finishing the studies and other preparations regulators require, and securing the funding to run them without interruption.
