Vascular transplants, a frequently used
method to treat some diseases, suffer from a high failure
rate, resulting in a significant unmet treatment need. In
this connection, Genetronics' technology may help prevent
rejection or obstruction of newly implanted vessels and increasing
the number of long-lasting vascular transplants. Genetronics
has shown in numerous pre-clinical studies that electroporation,
a method free of the unwanted side effects associated with
viral gene delivery technologies, can effectively facilitate
intracellular delivery and dramatically improve uptake of
such genes.
Genetronics Biomedical Corporation is a
late stage biodmedical company focused on building an oncology
franchise based on its proprietary electroporation therapy.
The therapy targets a significant unmet clinical need: the
selective killing of cancer cells and local ablation of solid
tumors while preserving healthy tissue. The company is moving
its lead product, the MedPulser(R) Electroporation Therapy
System, through pre-marketing studies for head and neck cancer
in Europe, where it has CE Mark accreditation, and a US Phase
III pivotal study for recurrent head and neck cancer. Merck,
Chiron, the US Navy, Vical and other partners are also employing
Genetronics' electroporation technology, which enhances local
delivery of drugs and DNA, in their developments of novel
DNA vaccines and gene therapies.
