Securing long-term supply advances development of Company's proprietary VMT-𝛼-GEN isotope generator, which enables a nimble supply of therapeutic radioisotopes with the power of alpha-particle therapy for cancer
CORALVILLE, IA / ACCESSWIRE / February 18, 2021 / Viewpoint Molecular Targeting, Inc. ("Viewpoint" or the "Company"), a radiopharmaceutical company developing precision α-particle oncology therapeutics and complementary diagnostic imaging agents, today announced it has entered into an agreement with the National Isotope Development Center (NIDC) for the long-term supply of parent feedstock radionuclide Th-228 for the manufacturing of the Company's Ra-224/Pb-212 generator, VMT-𝛼-GEN. The long-term agreement provides deliveries from 2021 through 2030.
In order to build a fully integrated alpha-particle radiopharmaceutical business, Viewpoint is securing the supply of therapeutic Pb-212 radioisotope for medical centers and regional radiopharmacies. To achieve this distinction, Viewpoint is developing its own proprietary benchtop production device (VMT-𝛼-GEN) for delivering alpha-particle therapeutic isotope Pb-212. With a half-life of 10.6 hours, Pb-212 is ideally suited to deliver powerful alpha-particle therapy to cancerous tumors while representing a lower risk for off-target unintended effects and the potential for treatment on an outpatient basis.
Michael Schultz, Ph.D., Chief Science Officer of Viewpoint, commented, "This agreement is an important step that helps to de-risk our programs by providing a secure supplier of commercial levels of feedstock radionuclide Th-228, a raw material that is necessary for the production VMT-𝛼-GEN. It also secures our position in building a fully-integrated alpha-particle radiopharmaceutical business with cancer-targeted ligands at preclinical and clinical stages of development."
Radionuclide generators such as VMT-𝛼-GEN are used commonly in radiopharmacies and nuclear medicine facilities across the world. The devices share a common characteristic of enabling the production of a purified chemical form of the radionuclide needed that can be easily combined with ligands that seek out cancerous tumors. Because the shelf life of VMT-𝛼-GEN is based on a longer-lived radionuclide (Ra-224), a single shipment of VMT-𝛼-GEN can be used to produce radiopharmaceutical doses daily for up to a week or more. The device can then be returned to the manufacturer in approved packaging to eliminate radioactive waste from the medical center or radiopharmacy.
Viewpoint is establishing centrally located manufacturing facilities in the United States with the goal of enabling overnight shipments of a nimble supply of both its Pb-203 radiopharmaceutical imaging agents and cancer-targeted Pb-212 alpha-particle therapeutics for personalized image-guided therapies anywhere in the continental United States.
About the National Isotope Development Center
The National Isotope Development Center (NIDC) is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy Isotope Program (DOE IP). It serves as an interface with the user community and manages the coordination of isotope production across the program facilities at Argonne, Brookhaven, Idaho, Los Alamos, Oak Ridge, and Pacific Northwest National Laboratories. These facilities produce stable and radioactive isotopes in short supply using reactors, accelerators, and other methods.
The DOE Isotope Program supports the production and the development of production techniques of radioactive and stable isotopes that are in short supply for research and applications. Isotopes are high-priority commodities of strategic importance for the nation and are essential for energy, medical, and national security applications and for basic research; a goal of the program is to make critical isotopes more readily available to meet domestic U.S. needs.
The program also coordinates and supports isotope production at numerous universities, national laboratories, and commercial accelerator and reactor facilities throughout the nation to promote a reliable supply of domestic isotopes. The NIDC coordinates isotope production across these facilities and manages the business operations of the sale and distribution of isotopes.
About Viewpoint
Viewpoint Molecular Targeting is a radiopharmaceutical company developing precision oncology therapeutics and complementary diagnostic imaging agents. The Company's leading alpha-particle radiotherapies are designed to deliver powerful alpha radiation specifically to cancer cells utilizing specialized targeting peptides. Viewpoint is also developing complementary diagnostics that utilize the same targeting peptide, which provide the opportunity to personalize treatment and optimize patient outcomes. This "theranostic" approach enabling the ability to see the specific tumor and then treat it to potentially improve efficacy and minimize toxicity associated with many other types of cancer treatments.
The Company's melanoma (VMT01) and neuroendocrine tumor (VMT-𝛼-NET) programs are entering Phase 1 imaging studies, to be followed by Phase 1/2a therapy trials for the treatment of metastatic melanoma and neuroendocrine tumors at two leading academic institutions. For more information, please visit the Company's website viewpointmt.com.
Investor Inquiries:
Jenene Thomas
Chief Executive Officer
JTC Team, LLC
T: 833.475.8247
[email protected]
SOURCE: Viewpoint Molecular Targeting, Inc.