NeoVista, Inc., is a privately held company based in Fremont, California, in the San Francisco Bay Area. We are dedicated to the development of medical technologies that help to advance the treatment of wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
Our innovative core technology utilizes highly targeted strontium 90 beta radiation in a one-time surgical procedure. This technology is now under investigation in clinical trials and has the potential to reduce the burden that wet AMD places on healthcare providers, patients, and the healthcare system.
At present, the standard of care for wet AMD is the intravitreal injection of anti–vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) medication. This therapy helps control choroidal neovascularization (CNV) and stabilize vision. Like anti-VEGF therapy, beta radiation therapy affects the abnormal blood vessels of wet AMD by slowing the development of new vessels and reducing inflammation, allowing the macula to return to its normal position. Unlike standard therapy, however, the NeoVista procedure is only performed once, and patients receive only two doses of an anti-VEGF drug.
The treatment being used in the pivotal study utilizes a typical vitrectomy, with radiation delivered using the NeoVista system. Patients usually require only local anesthesia, and the entire procedure normally takes less than 1 hour.
Radiation delivery using the NeoVista device is highly focal, penetrating the target area to a depth of only 3 mm and covering an area slightly larger than 5 mm in diameter. Because beta radiation dissipates very rapidly, surrounding normal tissues are less affected than with other forms of radiation used in older treatments. Thus, application is not only more accurate but more localized. This helps to reduce the risk of radiation-induced toxicity significantly.
The full-body radiation dose received by the patient is less than the dose received during a typical chest x-ray. The surgeon and others in the operating theater also receive minimal exposure.
Recently reported 18-month data from a concomitant-use Phase II study have shown that the effect of NeoVista epiretinal beta radiation therapy is potentially lasting and safe. This study investigated the safety and efficacy of NeoVista treatment in conjunction with 2 injections of Avastin® (bevacizumab).
