Molecular medicine transforms discoveries from the study of the human genome and proteomics into clinically useful techniques that improve the diagnosis, treatment and management of disease. The understanding of disease mechanisms at the cellular level is accelerating the discovery and development of new molecular medicines, such as innovative pharmaceuticals and biologics. Radiotherapeutics are radioactive drugs, or radiopharmaceuticals, that are systemically administered and selectively target cancer cells to deliver radiation for therapeutic benefit. This ability to selectively target cancer cells allows therapeutic radiation to be delivered to tumors while minimizing radiation exposure to normal tissues. Molecular imaging pharmaceuticals are radiopharmaceuticals that enable early detection of disease through the visualization of subtle changes in biochemical and biological processes.

Targeted Radiotherapy for Cancer

Radiation therapy has long been used effectively in the treatment and cure of cancer, particularly with tumors that are not amenable to treatment with surgery. Between 50% to 60% of cancer patients undergo some form of radiation therapy in the course of their treatment. The field of molecular medicine is improving radiation therapy through the use of targeted radiotherapeutics, compounds with the ability to selectively seek out tumor sites that exhibit specific molecular configurations. Radiotherapeutics are radiopharmaceuticals that are systemically administered and that selectively target tumors by binding to unique molecular targets (proteins) found on tumors. Therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals contain radioisotopes that emit beta particles. Beta particles only travel a short distance in the body, thus allowing selective and localized delivery of radiation to tumors while sparing surrounding normal tissues. This selective delivery enables highly targeted radiotherapy whereby more radiation reaches the tumor site while neighboring tissues are spared excess radiation exposure. We believe there is an opportunity to further improve many targeted radiotherapeutics through the application of our proprietary Ultratrace technology. Ultratrace is designed to further refine the targeting capabilities of radiotherapeutics by providing ultrapure compounds that enhance delivery of radiation to a tumor site while reducing the potential risk of side effects from unnecessary non-radioactive cold contaminants in current products and technologies. Our two lead radiotherapeutic oncology product candidates are Azedra and Onalta.

Molecular Imaging

Molecular imaging radiopharmaceuticals are radioactive drugs that enable early detection of disease through the visualization of subtle changes in biochemical and biological processes. Our approach is to use radiolabeled small molecules and peptides that recognize and bind to unique proteins in the body that are associated with the presence or evolution of disease. After administration to a patient, these molecules circulate until they find the target protein they are designed to recognize and then bind to it selectively. The compound then clears from the rest of the body and an image is obtained of its location and concentration. Doctors use this information to interpret the state of disease in a patient. The images are obtained using commonly available nuclear medicine cameras known as SPECT or PET cameras. Our Lead molecular imaging pharmaceutical product candidate is Zemiva.

Other Pipeline Product Candidates

In addition to Azedra, Onalta and Zemiva, we are developing a portfolio of product candidates for oncological molecular imaging and targeted radiotherapy as well as cardiovascular molecular imaging using our proprietary technologies. Applied independently and in combination, these technologies enable the development of innovative and targeted radiotherapeutics and molecular imaging pharmaceuticals that use both small molecules and peptides.