RLS and Evergreen Theragnostics launch partnership for sale and distribution of neuroendocrine tumor diagnostic Octevy™ (Kit for Preparation of Ga 68 DOTATOC Injection), pending FDA approval
LAKE ZURICH, Ill., and SPRINGFIELD, NJ, May 18, 2023 — Today, RLS (USA) Inc., the third-largest nuclear medicine pharmacy network in the US, and Evergreen Theragnostics, Inc., a radiopharmaceutical company focused on improving the available options for cancer patients, announced a new agreement for RLS to prepare, sell and distribute doses of the drug candidate OCTEVY™ to PET customers across the US, if the product is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
OCTEVY™ is currently under evaluation by the FDA as a potential radioactive diagnostic agent indicated for use with positron emission tomography (PET) for localization of somatostatin receptor positive neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) in adult and pediatric patients. If approved, OCTEVY™ can provide an important new imaging option for healthcare providers managing NETs.
“Finding good radiopharmacy partners is crucial as we prepare to bring our first product to market,” said James Cook, CEO of Evergreen Theragnostics. “RLS is incredibly easy to work with, and they bring a highly knowledgeable, responsive and collaborative team of industry veterans, with a nationwide network of accredited radiopharmacies with local pharmacy experts. Evergreen is proud to partner with RLS as we prepare to bring OCTEVY™ to PET centers and NET patients across the country.”
Under the terms of the agreement, RLS will reconstitute, radiolabel, and deliver OCTEVY™ doses (if approved by FDA) ordered by hospitals and independent PET centers.
“This partnership is an important step forward for RLS as we add new products to our portfolio and expand our capabilities. As RLS continues to scale for sustainable growth, partnering with innovative industry leaders like Evergreen will be key.” said Stephen Belcher, CEO of RLS.
RLS COO Trey Bankson added, “Evergreen continues to demonstrate its commitment to being at the cutting-edge of theragnostics. Working with Evergreen to add OCTEVY™ to our existing product portfolio will ensure that RLS can continue to provide the latest in radiopharmacy products to our diverse customer base, which includes some of the most prominent hospitals, teaching institutions and physicians in the country.”
About neuroendocrine tumors
Neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) are a diverse set of cancers that originate in neuroendocrine cells, which are cells that carry messages from the nervous system to the endocrine system. Because neuroendocrine cells are located in many organs, NETs are often heterogeneous in their symptoms and therefore difficult to diagnose. The incidence of NETs are low, but are increasing, likely in part due to increased diagnosis of the disease. Once a patient has been identified as having a NET, they will often undergo a PET scan to localize and stage the cancer, which will help the care team identify the best course of treatment.
About OCTEVY™
OCTEVY™ (Kit for Preparation of Ga 68 DOTATOC Injection), is currently under evaluation by the FDA as a potential radioactive diagnostic agent indicated for use with positron emission tomography (PET) for localization of somatostatin receptor positive neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) in adult and pediatric patients. OCTEVY™ would be supplied as a 2-vial kit to radiopharmacies which would allow for direct preparation of Ga 68 DOTATOC injection with the elution of Gallium-68 from an on-site generator at the radiopharmacy. OCTEVY™ is not currently approved by the FDA and is not yet available for sale in the United States.
About RLS (USA) Inc.
RLS (USA) Inc., the third-largest nuclear medicine pharmacy network in the United States, owns and operates 31 radiopharmacies across 18 states, offering an extensive portfolio of molecular imaging products. We endeavor to supply the highest quality radiopharmaceuticals in the industry by dispensing 100 percent of injectable unit dose products in clean rooms built to ISO 1644-1 specifications. In support of our commitment to quality, we provide tailored solutions and exceptional service to our more than 1500 customers. For more information, please visit www.rls.bio.
About Evergreen Theragnostics
Evergreen Theragnostics, headquartered in Springfield, NJ in a state-of-the-art GMP radiopharmaceutical facility, is focused on improving the available options for cancer patients using radiopharmaceuticals. Founded in 2019, the company is engaged in three core areas: CDMO, Products, and Drug Discovery. The CDMO business unit offers research and commercial scale, centralized production capacity for therapeutic and long-lived diagnostic products. The Products business unit develops and commercializes Evergreen-owned assets. Evergreen Discovery is focused on developing novel radiopharmaceuticals for cancer therapy, focusing on unprecedented and first-in-class radiopharmaceuticals. For more information, please visit www.evergreentgn.com.
For more information, please contact:
RLS (USA), Inc.
Stephen Belcher
Chief Executive Officer
stephen.belcher@rls.bio
RLS (USA), Inc.
Trey Bankson
Chief Operating Officer
trey.bankson@rls.bio
Evergreen Theragnostics, Inc.
James Cook
Chief Executive Officer
james.cook@evergreentgn.com