Vivos, Inc. has developed an Yttrium-90 based brachytherapy injectable device, for the treatment of tumors in animals (IsoPet®)
and in humans (Radiogel™).
Brachytherapy uses highly localized radiation to destroy cancerous tumors by placing a radioactive isotope directly inside the treatment area using the company’s proprietary hydrogel formulation.
The injection delivers therapeutic radiation from within the tumor without the entrance skin dose and associated side effects of treatment that characterize external-beam radiation therapy. This
feature allows safe delivery of higher doses needed for treating both non-resectable and radiation-resistant cancers.
IsoPet® for treating animals uses the same technology as RadioGel™ for treating humans. The US Food and Drug Administration
advised using different product names in order to avoid confusion and cross-use.
IsoPet® is a hydrogel liquid containing tiny yttrium-90 phosphate particles that may be administered directly into a tumor. This hydrogel is an
yttrium-90 carrier at room temperature that gels within the tumor interstitial space after injection to keep the radiation source safely in place. The short-range beta radiation from yttrium-90
localizes the dose within the treatment area so that normal organs and tissues are not adversely affected.
IsoPet® also has a short half-life – delivering more than 90% of its therapeutic radiation within 10 days. This compares favorably to other
available treatment options requiring up to six weeks or more to deliver a full course of radiation therapy. Therapy can be safely administered as an out-patient procedure and the patient may
return home without subsequent concern for radiation dose to the family.
The IsoPet® Solutions division used university veterinary hospitals to demonstrate the safety and therapeutic effectiveness for different animal cancers. Testing on feline sarcoma at the Washington State University was completed in 2018 and testing on canine soft tissue sarcomas at the University of Missouri was completed in 2019.
In 2018 the Company obtained confirmation from the FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine that IsoPet® is classified as a medical device according to its intended use and means by which it achieves its intended purpose. The FDA also reviewed the product labeling, which included canine and feline sarcomas as the initial indications for use. The FDA does not require pre-market approval for veterinary devices, so no additional approval was required to generate revenue through the sale of IsoPet® to University animal hospitals and private veterinary clinics.
Vivos Inc. ('the company') is also engaging the FDA for clearance to market RadioGel™ for the treatment of advanced thyroid tumors in Humans.