Key Investor Signals
Authorized UZ Leuven Phase II study will use AVAS
Belgium authorized a UZ Leuven-sponsored Phase II study in February 2026 using AVAS for repeat liver-isolated oxaliplatin treatment. Isovasc will supply the devices; recruitment is pending.
AVAS listed by specialist distributor Boyd Medical
Boyd Medical lists AVAS in its interventional oncology portfolio for repeated arterial access and organ-targeted chemotherapy, with implementation, training, and clinical support.
Approved for investment by Enterprise Ireland
Enterprise Ireland named Isovasc among 18 startups approved for investment in November 2024, providing third-party validation from Ireland's government enterprise agency.
Other Positive Signals
- Reported ISO 13485 certification for its quality management system.
- Health Innovation Hub Ireland completed a clinical evaluation with Isovasc.
Team
Michael Leen
Founder & CEO
- Spent nearly five years as Finance and Operations Director for Europe, the Middle East and Africa at Delcath Systems.
- Consulted to life sciences companies through Creevy Consulting from January 2023 to April 2024.
- MBA-qualified finance executive and Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants.
Product
AVAS is an implantable arterial access system that remains in place across a treatment course. Its external access point lets interventional radiologists repeatedly guide catheters toward the target organ. Isovasc is also developing the Stopflow Occlusion Catheter for temporary vascular isolation.
Targeted delivery through arterial access
AVAS gives catheters direct access to the artery supplying the target organ, allowing chemotherapy to be delivered regionally before wider circulation dilutes it. Published evidence currently covers colorectal cancer that has spread to the liver.
Repeat access across multiple sessions
Unlike standard percutaneous access, which requires a new arterial puncture for each session, AVAS remains implanted throughout the treatment course. Patients in the published pilot received five or six repeat treatments through the system.
Access and vascular isolation
AVAS provides the arterial access route, while Isovasc's three-lumen Stopflow Occlusion Catheter uses balloons to temporarily isolate the treated organ's circulation. The two devices cover the core access and occlusion steps of the procedure.
Market Overview
Colorectal cancer is the world's third most commonly diagnosed cancer and second leading cause of cancer death. The liver is its most common metastatic site because blood from the colon and rectum drains through the portal vein to the liver. Liver tumors receive much of their blood through the hepatic artery, creating a route for targeted treatment.
Interventional oncology uses image-guided, minimally invasive procedures to treat tumors through blood vessels or the skin. In liver-directed chemotherapy, catheters deliver drugs into the hepatic artery to raise local exposure while limiting systemic exposure. Delcath Systems and Sirtex Medical show that liver-directed treatment is already a commercial category.
Estimated new colorectal cancer cases worldwide in 2024; the disease ranked third by incidence.
Share of US colorectal cancers diagnosed after the disease has already spread to distant sites.
Delcath's 2025 HEPZATO KIT revenue from an approved liver-directed treatment for metastatic uveal melanoma.
Projected global market growth from 2024 to 2030, representing an 8.55% annual growth rate.
Comparable Outcomes
Sirtex Medical
Sirtex Medical developed SIR-Spheres, radioactive resin microspheres infused through the hepatic artery to treat liver tumors. The product reached more than 40 countries, establishing a commercial liver-directed therapy. Grand Pharma Sphere completed the acquisition of Sirtex Medical in September 2018 for A$1.9B.
Vascular Solutions
Vascular Solutions developed devices for minimally invasive coronary and peripheral vascular procedures. Its portfolio exceeded 90 products sold to interventional cardiologists and radiologists. Teleflex completed the acquisition of Vascular Solutions in February 2017 for approximately $1.0B.
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Sources
This profile was built from public company materials, ecosystem sources, market references, and professional profiles.