Oral Cancer
Our iontophoretic system is designed to deliver precision chemotherapy directly into oral cavity tumors
A unique opportunity for local therapy
Oral tumors are physically accessible, creating a unique opportunity for localized therapy.
This oral cancer program builds on the same iontophoretic delivery platform being advanced in pancreatic cancer, adapted here for direct treatment of accessible tumors in the oral cavity.
Our iontophoretic approach is designed to actively transport chemotherapy into tumor tissue using controlled electrical current. By delivering treatment directly to the tumor, the system is intended to increase local drug exposure while minimizing systemic toxicity.
Promising preclinical data
Preclinical studies in naturally occurring oral tumors of companion canines demonstrated that iontophoretic delivery produced substantially higher concentrations of chemotherapy in tumor tissue than in adjacent normal tissue and plasma.*
*This program is supported by the National Cancer Institute.
Together, these findings in canine oral tumors support the potential of localized iontophoretic delivery to increase tumor drug exposure while minimizing systemic toxicity.
Why recurrent oral cancer still needs better answers
Oral cavity cancer remains difficult to treat, especially when disease recurs after first-line therapy.
Many patients with recurrent disease are not candidates for additional platinum-based systemic chemotherapy because of treatment-related toxicity. Radiation can carry significant risks, including osteoradionecrosis, and salvage surgery may compromise speech, swallowing, and quality of life. When recurrence occurs, treatment options are often limited and largely palliative.
Expanding the reach of localized cancer therapy
The iontophoretic drug delivery platform may support localized treatment across multiple cancer types where tumors are accessible to local therapy. Potential applications include additional head and neck cancers, other localized solid tumors, and combination strategies with systemic treatments.
By enabling localized chemotherapy delivery directly into tumor tissue, we aim to expand treatment options for patients facing cancer while preserving quality of life.
