Item 1. Business
ITEM
1. BUSINESS.
Vivos
Inc. is a radiation oncology medical device company engaged in the development of its yttrium-90 (“Y-90”) based
brachytherapy device, RadioGel™, for the treatment of non-resectable tumors. A prominent team of radiochemists, scientists
and engineers, collaborating with strategic partners, including national laboratories, universities and private corporations,
lead the Company’s development efforts. The Company’s overall vision is to globally empower physicians, medical researchers
and patients by providing them with new isotope technologies that offer safe and effective treatments for cancer.
In
2013 the FDA issued the determination that RadioGel™ is a device for human therapy for non-resectable cancers in humans.
This should result in a faster path than a drug for final approval.
In
January 2018, the Center for Veterinary Medicine Product Classification Group ruled that RadioGel TM should be classified
as a device for animal therapy of feline sarcomas and canine soft tissue sarcomas. Additionally, after a legal review, the Company
believes that the device classification obtained from the Food and Drug Administration (“ FDA ”) Center for Veterinary
Medicine is not limited to canine and feline sarcomas, but rather may be extended to a much broader population of veterinary cancers,
including all or most solid tumors in animals. We expect the result of such classification and label review will be that no additional
regulatory approvals are necessary for the use of IsoPet ® for the treatment of solid tumors in animals. The FDA
does not have premarket authority over devices with a veterinary classification, and the manufacturers are responsible for assuring
that the product is safe, effective, properly labeled, and otherwise in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations.
3
Based
on the FDA’s recommendation, RadioGel TM will be marketed as “IsoPet ® ” for use by veterinarians
to avoid any confusion between animal and human therapy. The Company already has trademark protection for the “IsoPet ® ”
name. IsoPet ® and RadioGel TM are used synonymously throughout this document. The only distinction between
IsoPet ® and RadioGel TM is the FDA’s recommendation that we use “IsoPet®” for veterinarian
usage, and reserve “RadioGel TM” for human therapy. Based on these developments, the Company has shifted
its primary focus to the development and marketing of Isopet® for animal therapy, through the Company’s IsoPet®
Solutions division.
The
Company’s IsoPet Solutions division was established in May 2016 to focus on the veterinary oncology market, namely engagement
of university veterinarian hospital to develop the detailed therapy procedures to treat animal tumors and ultimately use of the
technology in private clinics. The Company has worked with three different university veterinarian hospitals on IsoPet® testing
and therapy. Washington State University treated five cats for feline sarcoma and served to develop the procedures which are incorporated
in our label. They concluded that the product was safe and effective in killing cancer cells. Colorado State University demonstrated
the CT and PET-CT imaging of IsoPet®. A contract was signed with University of Missouri to treat canine sarcomas and equine
sarcoids starting in November 2017.
The
dogs were treated for canine soft tissue sarcoma. Response evaluation criteria in solid tumors (“ RECIST ”) is
a set of published rules that define when tumors in cancer patients improve (respond), stay the same (stabilize), or worsen (progress)
during treatment. The criteria were published by an international collaboration including the European Organisation for Research
and Treatment of Cancer (“EORTC”), National Cancer Institute of the United States, and the National Cancer
Institute of Canada Clinical Trials Group.
The
testing at the University of Missouri met its objective to demonstrate the safety of IsoPet®. Using its advanced CT and PET
equipment it was able to demonstrate that the dose calculations were accurate and that the injections perfused into the cell interstices
and did not stay concentrated in a bolus. This results in a more homogeneous dose distribution. There was insignificant spread
of Y-90 outside the points of injection demonstrating the effectiveness of the particles and the gel to localize the radiation
with no spreading to the blood or other organs nor to urine or fecal material. This confirms that IsoPet® is safe for same
day therapy.
The
effectiveness of IsoPet® for life extension was not the prime objective, but it resulted in valuable insights. Of the cases
one is still cancer-free but the others eventually recurred since there was not a strong focus on treating the margins. The University
of Missouri has agreed to become a regional center to administer IsoPet® therapy and will incorporate the improvements suggested
by the testing program.
The
Company anticipates that future profits, if any, will be derived from direct sales of RadioGel™ (under the name IsoPet®)
and related services, and from licensing to private medical and veterinary clinics in the U.S. and internationally. The Company
intends to report the results from the IsoPet® Solutions division as a separate operating segment in accordance with GAAP.
Commencing
in July 2019, the Company recognized its first commercial sale of IsoPet®. A veterinarian
from Alaska brought his cat with a re-occurrent spindle cell sarcoma tumor on his face. The cat had previously received external
beam therapy, but now the tumor was growing rapidly. He was given a high dose of 400Gy with heavy therapy at the margins. This
sale met the revenue recognition requirements under ASC 606 as the performance obligation was satisfied. The Company completed
sales for an additional four animals that received the IsoPet® during 2019.
Our
plan is to incorporate the data assembled from our work with Isopet® in animal therapy to support the Company’s efforts
in the development of our RadioGel™ device candidate, including obtaining approval from the FDA to market and sell
RadioGel™ as a Class II medical device. RadioGel™ is an injectable particle-gel for brachytherapy radiation treatment
of cancerous tumors in people and animals. RadioGel™ is comprised of a hydrogel, or a substance that is liquid at room temperature
and then gels when reaching body temperature after injection into a tumor. In the gel are small, less than two microns, Y-90
phosphate particles. Once injected, these inert particles are locked in place inside the tumor by the gel, delivering a
very high local radiation dose. The radiation is beta, consisting of high-speed electrons. These electrons only travel a short
distance so the device can deliver high radiation to the tumor with minimal dose to the surrounding tissue. Optimally, patients
can go home immediately following treatment without the risk of radiation exposure to family members. Since Y-90 has a half-life
of 2.7 days, the radioactivity drops to 5% of its original value after ten days.
4
Recently,
the Company modified its Indication for Use from skin cancel to cancerous tissue or solid tumors pathologically associated with
locoregional papillary thyroid carcinoma and recurrent papillary thyroid carcinoma having discernable tumors associated with metastatic
lymph nodes or extranodal disease in patients who are not surgical candidates or who have declined surgery, or patients who require
post-surgical remnant ablation (for example, after prior incomplete radioiodine therapy). Papillary thyroid carcinoma belongs
to the general class of head and neck tumors for which tumors are accessible by intraoperative direct needle injection. The Company’s
Medical Advisory Board felt that demonstrating efficacy in clinical trials was much easier with this new indication.
The
Company’s lead brachytherapy products, including RadioGel™, incorporate patented technology developed for Battelle
Memorial Institute (“ Battelle ”) at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, a leading research institute for
government and commercial customers. Battelle has granted the Company an exclusive license to patents covering the manufacturing,
processing and applications of RadioGel™ (the “ Battelle License ”). This exclusive license is to terminate
upon the expiration of the last patent included in this agreement (May 2022). Other intellectual property protection includes
proprietary production processes and trademark protection in 17 countries. The Company plans to continue efforts to develop new
refinements on the production process, and the product and application hardware, as a basis for future patents.
The
Company received the Patent Cooperation Treaty (“PCT”) International
Search Report on our patent application (No.1811.191). Seven of our claims were immediately ruled as having novelty, inventive
step and industrial applicability. This gives us the basis to extend for many years the patent protection for our proprietary
Yttrium-90 phosphate particles utilized in Isopet® and Radiogel™. As part of the normal review process, we have also
submitted the technical justification for seven additional claims. We are in the process of filing patent claims in Canada, UK
(Great Britain, Scotland, Wales and Ireland), Japan, Germany, Italy, France, Australia, Brazil, China, India, North Countries
(Sweden, Norway, Finland, and Denmark).
Vista
Veterinary Hospital
Vista
Veterinary Hospital (“ Vista ”) was selected as the pilot private clinic to initiate commercial sales of IsoPet ® .
It is good management practice to implement and learn from a pilot program before spreading to regional clinics across the country.
Vista is located in the Tri-Cities Washington area which is convenient for interactions with key personnel of the Company.
The pilot is being used to
●
Refine
the Memorandum of Understanding to define all the germane interfaces, roles and liabilities between Vista Inc and the private
clinics, including the pilot responsivity to document and share the key aspects of all therapies with the Company;
●
Create
and implement proprietary certification training packages;
●
Amend
the production center radioactive material license at IsoTherapeutics, the Company’s IsoPet ® production
center, to allow distribution for commercial applications;
●
Work
with the pilot program to obtain a radioactive material licensing in an NRC agreement state;
●
Create
equipment and supplies list;
●
Create
and post regulatory signage;
●
Explore
different IsoPet ® pricing options;
●
Evaluate
different approaches to obtain patients;
●
Optimize
patient scheduling practices to reduce cost to the pet owners;
●
Develop
communication material and a liability document for the pet owners; and
●
Further
refine the therapy techniques for advanced cancers.
Vista
Veterinary Hospital has done well on two audits by the Washington State Department of Health. The Company is working closely with
the Washington State Department of Health to refine and improve the radioactive material license. The Company has added several
detailed procedures, which will benefit future regional clinics. In addition, a second veterinarian has completed all the preliminary
requirements to become certified. All that remains is to demonstrate proficiency in three therapies.
The
testing at the universities and at Vista Veterinary Hospital have demonstrated that IsoPet ® is effective on killing
cancer tissue in close proximity to the injections. It is most effective in early cases before the cancer has begun to spread.
Later stage cancers are more difficult to treat since the tendrils from the primary cancer site are not well defined and therefore
can lead to recurrence.
There
have been 63 expressions of interest in IsoPet ® therapy from across the United States, but only about 10% of these
were treated and they were very advanced cases. The reasons are instructive. Most of the cases were for so advanced that the pet
parents found out about IsoPet ® on the Internet as a last hope. Several others were internal cancers that could
not be reached, for example deep in the throat. Several cases were treatable, but the pets weighed more than 20 pounds and the
pet parents were not willing to fly them in the “Safe Cargo” holds. Those patients would have been treated by regional
clinics once we implement that strategy. Several cases were mast cell cancers. The Company is confident that those tumors could
have been treated, but once killed they release mast cells in a process called granulation. This could cause a shock to the animal’s
system. The Company will focus one of our clinical studies on the optimum approach for those therapies.
5
Vista
Veterinary Hospital accepted advanced cancer cases and has gained experience to extend the animal’s lives. The first cat
was terminally ill and had previously had external beam, surgery and chemotherapy. The facial tumor was treated with 400 Gy and
the biopsy confirmed that the cancer was killed. In about seven months the cancer returned in the throat and could not be treated
so the cat had to be put down. Dr. Bauder, the veterinarian pet parent, was still elated about the life extension and is asking
us to use him as a reference. The other cases were also very advanced with multiple tumors and they recurred since they had already
spread before therapy. One animal, Yukon had a large tumor on his leg that was recommended for amputation. The tumor size decreased
50% after the first treatment, but then stopped decreasing. For the first time a second therapy was administered and the tumor
has continued to decrease in size.
The
Company’s efforts are now to obtain more early-stage cancer patients. The biggest obstacle is to convince the veterinarians
of the pet parents to agree with IsoPet ® therapy rather than using a more traditional method such as surgery. This
is a slow process due to the conservative nature of the veterinarian professions. This is the prime motivation to continue with
additional clinical trials and to publish the results.
Regulatory
History
Human
Therapy
RadioGel™
has a long regulatory history with the Food and Drug Administration (“ FDA ”). Initially, the Company submitted
a presubmission (Q130140) to obtain FDA feedback about the proposed product. The FDA requested that the Company file a request
for designation with the Office of Combination Products (RFD130051), which led to the determination that RadioGel™ is a
device for human therapy for non-resectable cancers, which must be reviewed and ultimately regulated by the Center for Devices
and Radiological Health (“ CDRH ”). The Company then submitted a 510(k) notice for RadioGel™ (K133368),
which was found Not Substantially Equivalent due to the lack of a suitable predicate, and RadioGel™ was assigned to the
Class III product code NAW (microspheres). Class III products or devices are generally the highest risk devices and are therefore
subject to the highest level of regulatory review, control and oversight. Class III products or devices must typically be approved
by FDA before they are marketed. Class II devices represent lower risk products or devices than Class III and require fewer regulatory
controls to provide reasonable assurance of the product’s or device’s safety and effectiveness. In contrast, Class
I products and devices are deemed to be lower risk than Class I or II, and are therefore subject to the least regulatory controls.
A
pre-submission meeting (Q140496) was held with the FDA on June 17, 2014, during which the FDA maintained that RadioGel™
should be considered a Class III device and therefore subject to pre-market approval. On December 29, 2014, the Company submitted
a de novo petition for RadioGel™ (DEN140043). The de novo petition was denied by the FDA on June 1, 2015,
with the FDA providing numerous comments and questions. On September 29, 2015, the Company submitted a follow-up pre-submission
informational meeting request with the FDA (Q151569). This meeting took place on November 9, 2015, at which time the FDA indicated
acceptance of the Company’s applied dosimetry methods and clarified the FDA’s outstanding questions regarding RadioGel™.
Following the November 2015 pre-submission meeting, the Company prepared a new pre-submission package to obtain FDA feedback on
the proposed testing methods, intended to address the concerns raised by the FDA staff and to address the suitability of RadioGel™
for de novo reclassification. This pre-submission package was presented to the FDA in a meeting on August 29, 2017. During
the August 2017 meeting, the FDA clarified their position on the remaining pre-clinical testing needed for RadioGel™. Specifically,
the FDA addressed proposed dosimetry calculating techniques, dosimetry distribution between injections, hydrogel viscoelastic
properties, and the details of the Company’s proposed animal testing.
The
Company believes that its submissions to the FDA to date have addressed all the FDA staff’s feedback over the past four
years. Of particular importance, the Company has provided corresponding supporting data for proposed future testing of RadioGel™
to address any remaining questions raised by the FDA. We believe, although no assurances can be given, that the clinical testing
modifications presented to the FDA in August 2017 will result in a de novo reclassification for RadioGel™ by the
FDA. In addition, in previous FDA submittals, the Company proposed applying RadioGel™ for a very broad range of cancer therapies,
referred to as Indication for Use. The FDA requested that the Company reduce its Indications for Use. To comply with that request,
the Company expanded its Medical Advisory Board (“ MAB ”) and engaged doctors from respected hospitals who have
evaluated the candidate cancer therapies based on three criteria: (1) potential for FDA approval and successful therapy;
(2) notable advantage over current therapies; and (3) probability of wide-spread acceptance by the medical community.
In
November 2020 the Company submitted a request for a Breakthrough Device Designation. Ultimately, this was denied, but the FDA
acknowledged, “The FDA does believe that RadioGel™ meets criterion #2a: Device represents breakthrough technology.
Your device does meet this criterion because it is a novel application of a brachytherapy device outside of the liver.”
More importantly the process resulted in a rapid review of our existing data and approach. It led to a redirection of our efforts
on writing the IDE and saved the Company much time in the review of that future application.
6
The
MAB selected eighteen applications for RadioGel™, each of which meet the criteria described above. This large number confirms
the wide applicability of the device and defines the path for future business growth. The Company’s application establishes
a single Indication for Use - treatment of cancerous tissue or solid tumors pathologically associated with locoregional papillary
thyroid carcinoma and recurrent papillary thyroid carcinoma. We anticipate that this initial application will facilitate each
subsequent application for additional Indications for Use, and the testing for many of the subsequent applications could be conducted
in parallel, depending on available resources.
Financing
and Strategy
Research
and development of the Company’s brachytherapy product line has been funded with proceeds from the sale of equity and debt
securities. The Company requires funding of approximately $2 million annually to maintain current operating activities. Over the
next 12 to 24 months, the Company believes it will cost approximately $9 million to: (1) fund the FDA approval process to conduct
human clinical trials, (2) conduct Phase I, pilot, clinical trials, (3) activate several regional clinics to administer IsoPet ®
across the county, (4) create an independent production center within the current production site to create a template for
future international manufacturing, and (5) initiate regulatory approval processes outside of the United States.
The
principal variables in the timing and amount of spending for the brachytherapy products in the next 12 to 24 months will be the
FDA’s classification of the Company’s brachytherapy products as Class II or Class III devices (or otherwise) and any
requirements for additional studies which may possibly include clinical studies. Thereafter, the principal variables in the amount
of the Company’s spending and its financing requirements would be the timing of any approvals and the nature of the Company’s
arrangements with third parties for manufacturing, sales, distribution and licensing of those products and the products’
success in the U.S. and elsewhere. The Company intends to fund its activities through strategic transactions such as licensing
and partnership agreements or additional capital raises.
Following
receipt of required regulatory approvals and financing, in the U.S., the Company intends to outsource material aspects of manufacturing,
distribution, sales and marketing. Outside of the U.S., the Company intends to pursue licensing arrangements and/or partnerships
to facilitate its global commercialization strategy.
The
Company received $497,880 which were deposited into the Company’s accounts between April and June 2020. Following the clearance
of the Regulation A+ offering by the SEC on June 3, 2020, the common shares for these proceeds were issued. In addition, the Company
exchanged their outstanding convertible notes payable of $525,000, $27,536 in accrued interest and $98,508 in an exchange premium
stipulated in the note agreements into shares of common stock, and repaid $50,000 in promissory notes payable. In addition, the
Company raised $1,138,800 in the Regulation A+ from November 30, 2020 through December 3, 2020 and issued 42,177,778 shares of
common stock and sold 19,200,000 warrants for $19,200 in these offerings.
The
Company’s stock offering under Regulation A+ was qualified by the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”)
on June 3, 2020 and have issued the first tranche of shares under the Regulation A+ on June 10, 2020, and amended on February
17, 2021. The intent is to raise up to an additional $1,800,000 over the next 12 months, which may be completed in separate closings.
The
Company intends to use the proceeds generated from the sale of shares under Regulation A+ as follows:
For
the animal therapy market:
●
Fund
the effort to communicate the benefits of IsoPet ® to the veterinary community and the pet parents.
●
Conduct
additional clinical studies to generate more data for the veterinary community
●
Subsidize
some IsoPet ® therapies, if necessary, to ensure that all viable candidates are treated.
●
Assist
a new regional clinic with their license and certification training.
For
the human market:
●
Enhance
the pedigree of the Quality Management System.
●
Complete
the previously defined pre-clinical testing and additional testing on an animal model closely aligned with our revised indication
for use. Report the results to the FDA in a pre-submission meeting.
●
Use
the feedback from that meeting to write the IDE (Investigational Device Exemption), which is required to initiate clinical
trials.
7
Based
on the Company’s financial history since inception, its auditor has expressed substantial doubt as to the Company’s
ability to continue as a going concern. The Company has limited revenue, nominal cash, and has accumulated deficits since inception.
If the Company cannot obtain sufficient additional capital, the Company will be required to delay the execution of its business
strategy and may not be able to continue operations. Although management believes that it will be able to secure necessary working
capital to fund its development programs and execute its business strategy, no assurances can be given.
Product
Features
The
Company’s RadioGel™ device has the following product features:
●
Beta
particles only travel a short distance so the device can deliver high radiation to the tumor with minimal dose to the nearby
normal tissues. In medical terms Y-90 beta emitter has a high efficacy rate;
●
Benefitting
from the short penetration distance, the patient can go home immediately with no fear of exposure to family members, and there
is a greatly reduced radiation risk to the doctor. A simple plastic tube around the syringe, gloves and safety glasses are
all that is required. Other gamma emitting products require much more protection;
●
A
2.7-day half-life means that only 5% of the radiation remains after ten days. This is in contrast to the industry-standard
gamma irradiation product, which has a half-life of 17 days;
●
The
short half-life also means that any medical waste can be stored for thirty days then disposed as normal hospital waste;
●
RadioGel™
can be administered with small diameter needles (27-gauge) so there is minimal damage to the normal tissue. This is in contrast
to the injection of metal seeds, which does considerable damage; and
●
After
about 120 days the gel resorbs by a normal biological cycle, called the Krebs Cycle. The only remaining evidence of the treatment
are phosphate particles so small in diameter that it requires a high-resolution microscope to find them. This is in contrast
to permanent presence of metal seeds.
Steps
from Production to Therapy
Device
Production
During
the next two years, the Company intends to outsource material aspects of manufacturing and distribution. As future product volume
increases, the Company will reassess its make-buy decision on manufacturing and will analyze the cost/benefit of a centrally located
facility.
Production
of the Hydrogel
RadioGel™
is manufactured with a proprietary process under ventilated sterile hood by following strict Good Laboratory Practices (“ GLP ”)
procedures. It is made in large batches that are frozen for up to three months. When the product is ready to ship, a small quantity
of the gel is dissolved in a sterile saline solution. It is then passed through an ultra-fine filter to ensure sterility.
8
Production
of the Yttrium-90 Phosphate Particles
The
Y-90 particles are produced with simple ingredients via a proprietary process, again following strict GLP procedures. They are
then mixed into a phosphate-buffered saline solution. They can be produced in large batches for several shipments. The number
of particles per shipment is determined by the dose prescribed by the doctor.
Shipment
RadioGel™
is shipped in two containers, one with a solution of the gel and the other with a solution of the particles. Before shipment they
are subjected to sterility testing, again by strict procedures. The vial with the Y-90 is put through a special radiation calibrator,
which measures beta particles. The vials can be shipped via FedEx or UPS by following the proper protocols.
At
the User
The
user receives the two vials. The solution containing the RadioGel™ is mixed with the solution containing the Y-90 particles.
This is then shaken to ensure homogeneity and withdrawn into a syringe. The quantities that are mixed are calculated from the
information on the product label.
The
specific injection technique depends on the Indication for Use. For small tumors, one centimeter in diameter or less, the cancer
is treated with a single injection. For larger tumors, the cancer is treated with a series of small injections from the same syringe
or multiple syringes.
Principal
Markets
The
Company is currently pursuing two synergistic business sectors, medical and veterinary, each of which are summarized below.
Medical
Sector
RadioGel™
is currently fully developed, requiring only FDA approval before commercialization. The Company has been seeking FDA approval
of RadioGel™ for almost five years. Recent progress has been delayed due to a lack of adequate funding. The principal issue
preventing approval is that the Company attempted to obtain regulatory approval for a broad range of Indications for Use, including
all non-resectable cancers, without sufficient supporting data.
Building
on the FDA’s ruling of RadioGel™ as a device, the Company is currently developing test plans to address issues raised
in the Company’s prior FDA submittal regarding RadioGel™. The Company intends to request FDA approval to submit RadioGel™
for de novo classification, which would reclassify the device from a Class III device to a Class II device and accelerate
the regulatory approval path.
After
analyzing the Company’s data and the last five years of communication from the FDA, the Company has taken the following
steps:
1.
Under
new leadership, the Company is implementing all past recommendations from the FDA. The Company intends to narrow the Indications
for Use, will provide test plans for FDA review to respond to answer all previous FDA questions, and will request a pre-submission
meeting;
2.
Prepare
a pre-submission request document and FDA meeting request to obtain feedback on the test plans in order to initiate testing,
to present the proposed content for the final application and to request permission to submit a de novo;
3.
Submit
an Investigational Device Exemption (“ IDE ”) to obtain permission to conduct human clinical studies; and
4.
File
a de novo or Pre-Market Approval application.
9
The
critical path is the required testing – in vitro, animal testing, human clinical studies – all of which is resource
dependent.
In
previous submittals, the Company proposed applying a very broad range of cancer therapies, referred to as Indications for Use,
to RadioGel™. The FDA has strongly advised the Company to reduce its Indications for Use. To comply with that request, the
Company has expanded its MAB, consisting of Drs. Barry D. Pressman (Chairman), Albert DeNittis, and Howard Sandler.
The
MAB evaluated the candidate cancer therapies based on three criteria: (i) the potential for FDA approval and successful therapy;
(ii) notable advantages of RadioGel™ over current therapies; and (iii) the likelihood that RadioGel™ can be widely
accepted by the medical community and profitably commercialized.
The
MAB selected eighteen Indications for Use for RadioGel™, each of which meets the above-mentioned criteria. These eighteen
Indications for Use are listed below. This large number confirms the wide applicability of the device and defines the path for
future growth. The Company intends to apply to the FDA for a single Indication for Use, followed by subsequent applications for
additional Indications for Use. The initial application should facilitate each subsequent application, and the testing for many
of the subsequent applications could be conducted in parallel, depending on available resources.
●
Skin
cancer
●
Non-dendritic
brain
●
Involved
lymph nodes
●
Pediatric
cancers – several types
●
Bladder
●
Rectal
●
Liver
●
Gynecological
●
Localized
prostate
●
Spinal
●
Pancreas
●
Recurrent
esophageal
●
Head
and neck (including sino-nasal and oropharyngeal)
●
Breast
cancer resection cavity
●
Ocular
melanoma
●
Anaplastic
thyroid
After
thorough review to prioritize indications, the MAB has selected basal cell and squamous cell carcinoma (skin cancers) as the first
Indication for Use to be presented to the FDA. According to American Cancer Society, one out of every three new cancers diagnosed
in the U.S. is a cancerous skin lesion of this type, representing 5.5 million tumors annually. The MAB believes RadioGel™
will be the preferred treatment in a reasonable number of cases in a very large market.
Veterinary
Sector
There
are approximately 150 million pet dogs and cats in the United States. Nearly one-half of dogs and one-third of cats are diagnosed
with cancer at some point in their lifetime. The Veterinary Oncology & Hematology Center in Norwalk, Connecticut, reports
that cancer is the number one natural cause of death in older cats and dogs, accounting for nearly 50 percent of pet deaths each
year. The American Veterinary Medical Association reports that half of the dogs ten years or older will die because of cancer.
The National Cancer Institute reports that about six million dogs are diagnosed with cancer each year, translating to more than
16,000 a day.
The
Company’s IsoPet ® operating division focuses on the veterinary oncology market. Dr. Alice Villalobos, a founding
member of the Veterinary Cancer Society and the Chair of our Veterinary Medicine Advisory Board, has been providing guidance to
management regarding this market. The Veterinary Medicine Advisory Board gives us recommendations regarding the overall strategy
for our animal business sector. Specially, they recommended the university veterinary hospitals for demonstration therapies, the
specific cancers to be treated, and have provided business contact information to the private clinics.
Development
of the product and application techniques and animal testing is allowed under FDA regulation. Commercial sales of RadioGel TM
for animals requires confirmation by the FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine (“ CVM ”). In January 2018,
the Center for Veterinary Medicine Product Classification Group, the entity within the CVM that is responsible for determining
the classification of a product, ruled that RadioGel TM should be classified as a device for animal therapy of feline
sarcomas and canine soft tissue sarcomas.
10
Additionally,
after a legal review, the Company believes that the device classification obtained from the FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine
is not limited to canine and feline sarcomas, but rather may be extended to a much broader population of veterinary cancers, including
all or most all solid tumors in animals. We expect the result of such classification and label approval will be that no additional
regulatory approvals are necessary for the use of RadioGel TM for the treatment of solid tumors in animals. The FDA
does not have premarket authority over devices with a veterinary classification, and the manufacturers are responsible for assuring
that the product is safe, effective, properly labeled, and otherwise in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations.
The
Company currently intends to utilize university veterinary hospitals for therapy development, given that veterinary hospitals
offer superior and plentiful veterinarians and students, a large number of animal patients, radioactive material handling licenses,
and are respected by private veterinary centers and hospitals.
Pursuant
to the terms of the grant with Washington State University, it was responsible for conducting studies regarding in vivo dosimetry
and toxicity of intralesional Y-90 phosphate nanoparticles for the treatment of spontaneous feline and canine sarcomas. The term
of the grant was October 1, 2016 through January 31, 2018. The Company provided the university with the RadioGel TM
required to complete the studies, as well as technical support for dosimetry calculations. All payments provided to Washington
State University in relation to the grant were made by Washington State Life Sciences Discovery Fund pursuant to a grant and were
not paid by the Company. To compliment the grant, additional scope was added to explore the option of pre-mixing the vials prior
to shipment and the Company was reimbursed $17,583 as a separate contract to the grant.
Pursuant
to the terms of the contract with the University of Missouri, it was responsible for conducting studies regarding in vivo dosimetry
and toxicity of intralesional Y-90 phosphate nanoparticles for the treatment of soft tissue carcinoma and equine sarcoids. The
term of the contract was initially from November 1, 2017 through October 31, 2018, but it has recently been working to extend
this contract through testing completion on canine soft tissue sarcoma and equine sarcoids, plus additional tumors of interest
defined by the University of Missouri principal investigators. This extension is dependent upon keeping current with paying for
the expenses of the ongoing therapies.
Competitors
The
Company competes in a market characterized by technological innovation, extensive research efforts, and significant competition.
The
pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries are intensely competitive and subject to rapid and significant technological changes.
A number of companies are pursuing the development of pharmaceuticals and products that target the same diseases and conditions
that our products target. We cannot predict with accuracy the timing or impact of the introduction of potentially competitive
products or their possible effect on our sales. Certain potentially competitive products to our products may be in various stages
of development. Also, there may be many ongoing studies with currently marketed products and other developmental products, which
may yield new data that could adversely impact the use of our products in their current and potential future Indications for Use.
The introduction of competitive products could significantly reduce our sales, which, in turn would adversely impact our financial
and operating results.
There
are a wide variety of cancer treatments approved and marketed in the U.S. and globally. General categories of treatment include
surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy and immunotherapy. These products have a diverse set of success rates and side effects.
The Company’s products, including RadioGel™, fall into the brachytherapy treatment category. There are a number of
brachytherapy devices currently marketed in the U.S. and globally. The traditional iodine-125 (I-125) and palladium-103 (Pd-103)
technologies for brachytherapy are well entrenched with powerful market players controlling the market. The industry-standard
I-125-based therapy was developed by Oncura, which is a unit of General Electric Company. Additionally, C.R. Bard, a major industry
player competes in the I-125 brachytherapy marketplace. These market competitors are also involved in the distribution of Pd-103
based products. Cs-131 brachytherapy products are sold by IsoRay. Several Y-90 therapies have been FDA approved including SIR-Spheres
by Sirtex, TheraSphere by Biocompatibles UK and Zevalin by Spectrum Pharmaceuticals.
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Raw
Materials
The
Company currently subcontracts the manufacturing of RadioGel TM at IsoTherapeutics. Eckert and Ziegler the only supplier
of Y-90 in the United States, is the sole supplier of the Y-90 used by IsoTherapeutics to manufacture the Company’s RadioGel™.
The Company obtains supplies, hardware, handling equipment and packaging from several different U.S. suppliers.
Customers
The
Company anticipates that potential customers for our potential brachytherapy products likely would include those institutions
and individuals that currently purchase brachytherapy products or other oncology treatment products.
Government
Regulation
The
Company’s present and future intended activities in the development, manufacturing and sale of cancer therapy products,
including RadioGel™, are subject to extensive laws, regulations, regulatory approvals and guidelines. Within the United
States, the Company’s therapeutic radiological devices must comply with the U.S. Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, which
is enforced by FDA. The Company is also required to adhere to applicable FDA Quality System Regulations, also known as the Good
Manufacturing Practices, which include extensive record keeping and periodic inspections of manufacturing facilities.
In
the United States, the FDA regulates, among other things, new product clearances and approvals to establish the safety and efficacy
of these products. We are also subject to other federal and state laws and regulations, including the Occupational Safety and
Health Act and the Environmental Protection Act.
The
Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and other federal statutes and regulations govern or influence the research, testing, manufacture,
safety, labeling, storage, record keeping, approval, distribution, use, reporting, advertising and promotion of such products.
Noncompliance with applicable requirements can result in civil penalties, recall, injunction or seizure of products, refusal of
the government to approve or clear product approval applications, disqualification from sponsoring or conducting clinical investigations,
preventing us from entering into government supply contracts, withdrawal of previously approved applications, and criminal prosecution.
In
the United States, medical devices are classified into three different categories over which the FDA applies increasing levels
of regulation: Class I, Class II, and Class III. Most Class I devices are exempt from premarket notification 510(k); most Class
II devices require premarket notification 510(k); and most Class III devices require premarket approval. RadioGel™ is currently
classified as a Class III device.
Approval
of new Class III medical devices is a lengthy procedure and can take a number of years and require the expenditure of significant
resources. There is a shorter FDA review and clearance process for Class II medical devices, the premarket notification or 510(k)
process, whereby a company can market certain Class II medical devices that can be shown to be substantially equivalent to other
legally marketed devices.
The
Company intends to apply for a de novo with an anticipated expenditure of $10.0 million over the next four years. This
expenditure estimate includes anticipated costs associated with in vitro and in vivo pre-clinical testing, our application for
an Investigational Device Exemption, Phase I and Phase II clinical trials and our application for a de novo .
As
a registered medical device manufacturer with the FDA, we are subject to inspection to ensure compliance with FDA’s current
Good Manufacturing Practices, or cGMP. These regulations require that we and any of our contract manufacturers design, manufacture
and service products, and maintain documents in a prescribed manner with respect to manufacturing, testing, distribution, storage,
design control, and service activities. Modifications or enhancements that could significantly affect the safety or effectiveness
of a device or that constitute a major change to the intended use of the device require a new 510(k) premarket notification for
any significant product modification.
12
The
Medical Device Reporting regulation requires that we provide information to the FDA on deaths or serious injuries alleged to be
associated with the use of our devices, as well as product malfunctions that are likely to cause or contribute to death or serious
injury if the malfunction were to recur. Labeling and promotional activities are regulated by the FDA and, in some circumstances,
by the Federal Trade Commission.
As
a medical device manufacturer, we are also subject to laws and regulations administered by governmental entities at the federal,
state and local levels. For example, our facility is licensed as a medical device manufacturing facility in the State of Washington
and is subject to periodic state regulatory inspections. Our customers are also subject to a wide variety of laws and regulations
that could affect the nature and scope of their relationships with us.
In
the United States, as a manufacturer of medical devices and devices utilizing radioactive byproduct material, we are subject to
extensive regulation by not only federal governmental authorities, such as the FDA and FAA, but also by state and local governmental
authorities, such as the Washington State Department of Health, to ensure such devices are safe and effective. In Washington State,
the Department of Health, by agreement with the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission (“ NRC ”), regulates the
possession, use, and disposal of radioactive byproduct material as well as the manufacture of radioactive sealed sources to ensure
compliance with state and federal laws and regulations. RadioGel™ constitutes both medical devices and radioactive sealed
sources and are subject to these regulations.
Moreover,
our use, management, and disposal of certain radioactive substances and wastes are subject to regulation by several federal and
state agencies depending on the nature of the substance or waste material. We believe that we are in compliance with all federal
and state regulations for this purpose.
Environmental
Regulation
Our
business does not require us to comply with any extraordinary environmental regulations. Our RadioGel™ product is manufactured
in an independently owned and operated facility. Any environmental effects or contamination event that could result would be from
the shipping company during shipment and misuse by the treatment facility upon arrival.
Human
Capital
As
of December 31, 2020, the Company had one full-time personnel. The Company utilizes several independent contractors to assist
with its operations. The Company does not have a collective bargaining agreement with any of its personnel and believes its relations
with its personnel are good.
Available
Information
The
Company prepares and files annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K and certain
other information with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “ SEC ”). The SEC maintains
an Internet site that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding issuers that file electronically
with the SEC at http://www.sec.gov. Moreover, the Company maintains a website at http://www.RadioGel.com that contains important
information about the Company, including biographies of key management personnel, as well as information about the Company’s
business. This information is publicly available and is updated regularly. The content on any website referred to in this Annual
Report is not incorporated by reference into this Annual Report, unless (and only to the extent) expressly so stated herein.
Text extracted from the filing as submitted to EDGAR. Formatting, tables and exhibits are simplified for reading; the original document is authoritative for anything you rely on.