Technology

Cyto Pulse uses pulsed electric field technology to deliver drugs and DNA into cells.  There are at least two uses for this technology in veterinary oncology.  One is local treatment of tumors.  This is a mature technology that is currently being utilized.  The other is delivery of DNA vaccines specific for tumor antigens.  While the technology to deliver DNA vaccines is mature, specific vaccines are still in development.

Electroporation enhanced local chemotherapy or electrochemotherapy uses in vivo electroporation to enhance the intracellular uptake of potent chemotherapeutic reagents that are normally poorly transported into cells.  The water soluble chemotherapeutic agents bleomycin and cisplatin are commonly used.  The chemotherapeutic agent is delivered directly to the tumor tissue by infusion or is delivered intravenously.  After infusion of the drug, electroporation is used to assist transport of the drug across cell membranes.

There are two uses for electrochemotherapy in veterinary medicine.  One is to ablate solid tumors.  A common example of this is the treatment of facial squamous cell carcinoma.  Another is to surgically remove tumors and apply electrochemotherapy to the surgical field to kill tissue infiltrating tumor cells.  A published use for this technique is equine sarcoid to help prevent the local reoccurrence of this tumor.

Cyto Pulse’s intratumeral electrode was designed specifically for veterinary electrochemotherapy.  This heavy duty electrode uses parallel rows of needles for treatment of the largest area possible between the needles.  The needles are thicker and longer than needles used for vaccination so that deeper areas of the tumor can be treated.  The trochar shaped tip assists in penetration of tough tissue such as canine external nares.

The sequence of photos on the right shows Squamous Cell Carcinoma on a Mastiff’s
carpus before, during and after treatment. The ECT dissolved the tumor and there was
no reoccurrence. The images are courtesy of Ron Lowe, DVM. Additional treatment
results maybe found at: http://www.petcancervet.co.uk/ect.htm