During pelvic brachytherapy for cancers like cervical or uterine cancer
This technology is a special hydrogel material that starts as a liquid, gets injected into a flexible bag placed inside the pelvis during cancer radiation treatment, and then expands to fill the space and push nearby healthy organs out of the radiation field. The hydrogel is made through a chemical reaction called thiol-Michael addition, which lets it form quickly inside the body and later be softened or removed when treatment is done. It works alongside a radiation applicator that delivers radioactive sources directly to tumor tissue, improving precision and reducing collateral damage to surrounding tissue.
What you could build
A single-use kit sold to hospital radiation oncology departments that includes the pre-mixed hydrogel components, a conformable bag applicator, and a compatible brachytherapy device, enabling clinicians to perform safer, more targeted pelvic brachytherapy with less procedural complexity than current packing methods.
Who in Virginia should care
Virginia hospital systems such as Inova, VCU Health, and UVA Health run active radiation oncology programs treating pelvic cancers, and a commercialized kit from a Virginia university spinout could enter procurement channels through those regional academic medical centers.
Readiness: Prototype likely
Concept, described but not yet demonstrated. Lab validated, supported by experimental results in the patent. Prototype likely, the text describes a built, working embodiment.
Readiness is inferred from the patent text, not from a lab visit.
The record
- Inventors
- Timothy Norman SHOWALTER, Timothy E. LONG, Nicholas G. MOON
- Granted
- August 11, 2026
- Status
- Granted patent
- Patent number
- 12702639
Ready to talk?
the university handles licensing for this technology. Email us for an introduction patents@harbor.capital.
Sonar summaries are generated from public patent text and are not legal advice.