TEHRAN – Launching the first national production line for electroporation systems, Iran has become the first country in Asia to acquire advanced cancer treatment technology.

The inauguration ceremony of the Iranian-made device was held on Monday at University of Tehran, IRNA reported.

The homegrown electrochemotherapy ablation system (a new method of targeted treatment of cancerous tumors) is a significant achievement that relies mainly on domestic technical knowledge and global standards.

The electroporation system uses electrical pulses to enhance the permeability of cancer cells and significantly enhance the effectiveness of anti-cancer drugs.

Electroporation is highly efficient in the treatment of various types of cancer, such as skin cancer, such as squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), a common type of skin cancer that develops in the flat cells of the upper layer of the skin, melanoma, and breast cancer.

More than a thousand patients have been treated so far using this therapy; in more than 200 cases, successful treatment has prevented the need for amputation.

According to a report by IRNA in February, an Iranian knowledge-based company has managed to develop a new method for the synthesis of Technetium (99mTc) tilmanocept, a radiopharmaceutical diagnostic imaging agent used to determine lymph nodes that may be draining from tumors.

Since 2013, the U.S. has been the only manufacturer of this radiopharmaceutical agent, IRNA reported.

The lymphatic system is known as one of the main conduits of cancer metastasis. In patients with breast, lung, and genital tract cancers, accurate detection of lymph node involvement is critical for surgeons.

Thanks to this remarkable achievement, about 90 percent of patients with various cancers in the country will gain access to a more affordable and more accurate method for cancer diagnosis and treatment.

Having passed the preclinical phases successfully, the drug has entered the clinical phase. 

MT/MG