Expressed early
Appears at the onset of malignant transformation — before many conventional markers.
Lead indication: Breast cancer / TNBC
VPAC1
The complete NV-VPAC1 story — one proprietary platform that detects and treats cancer with precision.
Watch the Overview
See how VPAC1 works
A short walkthrough of how NV-VPAC1 powers diagnosis and targeted therapy across cancer indications.
The Target
What is VPAC1?
VPAC1 is a G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) for vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP). It is over-expressed on the surface of malignant cells at the very onset of oncogenesis — early and densely — while remaining low on healthy tissue. That makes it a precise molecular address for finding and treating cancer.
Expressed densely
High receptor density on the tumor surface concentrates signal where the cancer is.
Direct cell detection
NV-VPAC1 binds the cancer cell itself — not a proxy biomarker or a downstream effect.
LargestGPCRs are the largest known class of membrane receptors in the body
30–50%of modern medicinal drugs target GPCRs — the most validated drug-target class
VPAC1a GPCR subtype over-expressed on cancer cells — the target NV-VPAC1 binds
NV-VPAC1 is a proprietary, patented peptide that binds VPAC1, invented by Dr. Mathew Thakur and colleagues at Thomas Jefferson University. NuView holds a robust IP position and broad patent portfolio, with no direct competitor targeting VPAC1. FDA Pre-IND active. NV-VPAC1 is in clinical development.
Inside VPAC1
From diagnosis to therapy, on one platform
Binary Diagnostic Synergies
In vitro and in vivo diagnostics work together to identify and localize cancer with precision.
Precision Therapeutic Delivery
Cytotoxic agents are coupled to NV-VPAC1 to target tumors while sparing healthy tissue.
Optimized Treatment Planning
Patient-centric data supports optimized treatment planning and delivery for better outcomes.
The VPAC1 Theranostic Story
One target. Detect, then treat.
NV-VPAC1 binds to VPAC1 receptors overexpressed on cancer cells. Pair it with Copper-64 to see the disease — or Copper-67 to treat it.
Detect with Copper-64
NV-VPAC1 paired with a Copper-64 (Cu-64) positron emitter localizes sites of VPAC1-expressing cancer through PET, PET-CT and PET-MRI imaging — revealing the precise location and extent of tumor metastasis. An in vitro lab assay can also detect shed cancer cells directly in biofluids, without surgical biopsy.
Treat with Copper-67
The same targeting mechanism enables therapy: by coupling cytotoxic agents to NV-VPAC1 and pairing it with Copper-67 (Cu-67), treatment is delivered directly to VPAC1-expressing tumor cells. This is the basis of Targeted Copper Theranostics (TCT) — diagnosis and therapy from one molecule.
An Established Category
Theranostics are proven — VPAC1 brings them to breast cancer
The diagnose-and-treat model is already FDA-approved in other cancers. NuView's Cu-64 / Cu-67 VPAC1 platform is the breast cancer entrant.
| Target | Diagnose → Treat | Indication | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| PSMA | Ga-68 → Lu-177 | Prostate cancer | Approved |
| SSTR | Ga-68 → Lu-177 (DOTATATE) | Neuroendocrine tumors | Approved |
| HER2 | Zr-89 → Lu-177 (Trastuzumab) | HER2+ cancers | Clinical |
| FAP | Ga-68 → Lu-177 / Y-90 (FAPI) | Solid tumors | Clinical |
| VPAC1 | Cu-64 → Cu-67 (NV-VPAC1) | Breast cancer | Emerging |
Comparison shown for context. PSMA and DOTATATE theranostics are independently developed and FDA-approved; NV-VPAC1 is in clinical development.
The Clinical Journey
Where VPAC1 PET fits across the breast cancer journey
A single imaging agent answers the questions that recur at every decision point — from diagnosis through long-term surveillance, and ultimately to selecting patients for Cu-67 therapy.
01
Initial staging
Has it spread? Surgery first, or systemic therapy first?
At diagnosis — especially TNBC, larger tumors, suspected metastasis. Ordered by Medical Oncology · Breast Surgery
02
Treatment response
Did treatment work? Switch lines, or continue?
After neoadjuvant chemotherapy; during active therapy. Ordered by Medical Oncology · Radiation Oncology
03
Recurrence surveillance
Is the cancer back — and where? The biggest unmet need today.
Rising tumor markers; equivocal CT or bone scan. Ordered by Medical Oncology
04
Cu-67 patient selection
Does this tumor express enough VPAC1 to treat with Cu-67?
Once the Cu-67 therapeutic is approved. Ordered by Medical Oncology
Clinical Foundation
Human breast cancer data already in hand
The mechanism has been validated in peer-reviewed human imaging research at Thomas Jefferson University.
97–99%
sensitivity for breast cancer detection
Cu-64 TP3805 PET imaging study · n=19 · reported by Dr. Mathew Thakur and colleagues at Thomas Jefferson University · Journal of Nuclear Medicine, 2013 · peer-reviewed, IRB-approved, validated in humans.
Four human, peer-reviewed datasets · Dr. Mathew Thakur and colleagues, Thomas Jefferson University
97–99%Breast · n=19 · lead indication
97%Prostate · n=20 · elevated PSA
97%Prostate · n=25 · stages IIB–IV
79%Bladder · n=20 · expression validated
NV-VPAC1 is in clinical development; early-study results do not guarantee future outcomes.
Path to the Clinic
From published human data to a Phase 1/2 breast cancer trial
The mechanism is already validated in humans. The next steps are regulatory and clinical — defining the trial with the FDA, then running it, TNBC first.
Complete
Published human data
Peer-reviewed Cu-64 PET imaging in breast, prostate and bladder. Mechanism validated.
Active now
FDA Pre-IND dialogue
In active dialogue with the FDA to define patient count, endpoints and protocol for the breast cancer trial.
Next
Phase 1/2 — breast
The Cu-64 diagnostic into the clinic, TNBC first — the dataset the FDA requires for approval.
Expansion
Cu-67 & new indications
The Cu-67 therapeutic and expansion into prostate, bladder and other VPAC1-positive tumors.
Platform Expansion
One molecule. Multiple cancers. Breast leads.
The same VPAC1 chemistry has shown signal in peer-reviewed human imaging across three high-incidence cancers. Breast is the lead; prostate and bladder represent future growth.
Breast
~322,000new U.S. cases per year. 97–99% sensitivity in peer-reviewed human imaging by Dr. Mathew Thakur and colleagues at Thomas Jefferson University.
Prostate
~334,000new U.S. cases per year. 97% sensitivity in human VPAC1 imaging studies.
Bladder
~84,000new U.S. cases per year. 79% sensitivity in human imaging; VPAC1 expression reported across further tumor types.
~740,000
new U.S. patients per year across breast, prostate and bladder — more than 2× the breast indication alone, all reachable with one molecule. Rare indications including brain and pancreatic cancers are also in NuView's clinical pipeline.
U.S. incidence: American Cancer Society, Cancer Facts & Figures. Human sensitivity data: peer-reviewed studies, Thomas Jefferson University. NV-VPAC1 is in clinical development.
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