Electroporation Therapy (EPT) offers significant promise in the treatment of many solid tumors. By applying brief electric fields of adequate intensity to tissue, EPT induces a transient increase in membrane permeability thereby allowing non-permeant molecules to enter the cell. Therapeutic benefit then relies on the action of the loaded agent. Initial published results from clinical studies of EPT for head and neck cancer are encouraging, but note that investigators have not attempted to treat vascular areas of the neck. Indeed though, much of the clinical significance of EPT may be in the treatment of anaplastic tissues that are either unresectable, or can only be treated with great loss of function or disfigurement to the patient. Under this SBIR Phase I, Ichor proposes to sufficiently demonstrate that its EPT procedures are non-ablative and can be safely applied to healthy tissues of the head and neck. Safety experiments have been designed to include vascular tissues such as the carotid and jugular that, if cancerous, cannot be safely resected and are difficult to treat with radiation. Additionally, Ichor s EPT device will be adapted and all regulatory approvals secured, in order to initiate human studies for head and neck cancer under an SBIR Phase II.
Electroporation Therapy is a physical means to induce membrane permeability. As such, the literature appropriately indicates that it can deliver both drugs and genes into many cell types. When combined with bleomcyin, EPT has significant potential in treating many types of solid tumors that are either not readily resectable, or have locally advanced into vital tissues. Ichor will maintain ownership of its EPT systems, collecting capitative revenues through sales of it single use electrode arrays.
