Photocure ASA: Expanded role for Cysview® in treating bladder cancer patients - presented at the 2019 AUA Annual Meeting
OSLO, Norway, May 6, 2019 - Photocure ASA (OSE: PHO) today announced key data presented at the 2019 American Urological Association (AUA) Annual Meeting in Chicago. Session presentations and a poster presentation discussed Blue Light Cystoscopy (BLC™) with Cysview.
BLC™ with Cysview® was featured in several sessions at the AUA meeting, including:
- Blue Light Cystoscopy for the diagnosis of Bladder Cancer
Dr. Badrinath Konety, University of Minnesota
- Surgical Techniques: Tips & Tricks: Oncology
Dr. Yair Lotan, UTSW, presented on BLC with Cysview for surveillance
Dr. Yair Lotan M.D., Professor of Urology, UT Southwestern Medical Center and the lead author on a new Consensus paper for use of BLC with Cysview in the office setting said, “Reaching a broad consensus on the optimal use of BLC with Cysview is a significant milestone. There is considerable, high-quality data that supports the use of BLC with Cysview, and the Consensus Statement provides practical information on incorporating flexible BLC into practice.” He went on to say, “Recurrence is often found during surveillance cystoscopies which are typically done using a flexible cystoscope, so it is significant that there is consensus on how to use Cysview in that setting. We expect this advancement will enhance detection in the outpatient setting and improve patient management.”
There was also a poster presentation of data from the Nordic Blue Light Flexible Cystoscopy registry that showed BLC in the clinic (outpatient) setting may reduce the need for an operating room (OR) visit for a follow-up transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT).
Poster highlights include:
- 75% of patients reported that BLC with Cysview added value to their disease maintenance
- 27% cited the main advantage of the procedure as “stronger confidence in confirming/refuting a suspicious lesion”
- 95% of patients said they preferred the outpatient procedure over a TURBT in the operating room
Overall, there was high interest in Blue Light Cystoscopy (BLC™) with Cysview at the Photocure booth and the adjacent KARL STORZ booth. Of the over 16, 500 attendees at this year’s AUA Meeting, there were many urologists interested in this state-of-the-art drug/device technology for the detection and management of bladder cancer.
“To date, over a half million bladder cancer patients worldwide have been diagnosed or treated using BLC with Cysview,” says Dan Schneider, President and CEO of Photocure. “We’re proud to have impacted so many lives so far. In the U.S. alone, last year’s 45% increase in the number of medical facilities that offer BLC with Cysview demonstrates our commitment to improving access for both urologists and bladder cancer patients.”
To learn more about Cysview and see video case studies of it in action, visit BLC with Cysivew Video Case Studies
About Bladder Cancer
Bladder cancer is the sixth most commonly diagnosed cancer in the US and is the fourth most common cancer found in men in the US.(1,2) It is estimated that there will be 80,470 new cases of bladder cancer and 17,670 deaths due to bladder cancer in 2019.(3) Risk factors for bladder cancer include advancing age, cigarette smoking, occupational exposure to dyes, tar, rubber and solvent, and chronic bladder irritation and infections.(4) Bladder cancer is one of the most expensive cancers to manage. It is estimated that upwards of $5.71 billion will be spent on bladder cancer in the US in the year 2020.(5)
Bladder cancer is classified into two types, non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) and muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC), depending on the depth of invasion in the bladder wall.(4) NMIBC is in the inner layer of cells.(3) These cancers are the most common (75%) of all bladder cancer cases and include the subtypes carcinoma in situ (CIS), Ta and T1 lesions.(5) MIBC is when the cancer has grown into deeper layers of the bladder wall.(2) These cancers, including subtypes T2, T3 and T4, are more likely to spread and are harder to treat.(6)
About Hexvix®/Cysview® (hexaminolevulinate HCl)
Hexvix/Cysview is a drug that is selectively taken up by tumor cells in the bladder making them glow bright pink during Blue Light Cystoscopy (BLC). BLC with Hexvix/Cysview improves the detection of tumors and leads to more complete resection, fewer residual tumors and better management decisions.
Cysview is the tradename in the US and Canada, Hexvix is the tradename in all other markets. Photocure is commercializing Cysview/Hexvix directly in the US and the Nordic region and has strategic partnerships for the commercialization of Hexvix/Cysview in Europe, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Please refer to Commercial Partners for further information on our commercial partners.
All trademarks mentioned in this release are protected by law and are registered trademarks of Photocure ASA.
About Photocure ASA
Photocure: The Bladder Cancer Company delivers transformative solutions to improve the lives of bladder cancer patients. Our unique technology, which makes cancer cells glow bright pink, has led to better health outcomes for patients worldwide. Photocure is headquartered in Oslo, Norway, and listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange (OSE: PHO). For more information, please visit us at www.photocure.com, www.hexvix.com or www.cysview.com.
For more information, please contact:
Dan Schneider
President and CEO
Photocure ASA
Tel: + 1-609 759-6515
Email: ds@photocure.com
Erik Dahl
CFO
Photocure ASA
Tel: +4745055000
Email: ed@photocure.com
1.National Cancer Institute. SEER Stat Facts: Bladder Cancer 2017. https://seer.cancer.gov/statfacts/html/urinb.html. Accessed on January 25, 2019.
2. American Cancer Society's (ACS) publication. Cancer Facts and Figures 2017: Special Section – Rare Cancers in Adults, and the ACS website. https://www.cancer.org/content/dam/cancer-org/research/cancer-facts-and-statistics/annual-cancer-facts-and-figures/2017/cancer-facts-and-figures-2017.pdf. Accessed on March 25, 2019.
3. American Cancer Society. Key Statistics for Bladder Cancer 2019. https://www.cancer.org/cancer/bladder-cancer/about/key-statistics.html. Accessed on March 25, 2019.
4. American Cancer Society. Bladder Cancer. http://www.cancer.org/cancer/bladdercancer/detailedguide/bladder-cancer-additional. Accessed on March 25, 2019.
5. Mariotto AB, Yabroff KR, Shao Y, Feuer EJ, Brown ML. Projections of the cost of cancer care in the United States: 2010-2020. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2011;103(2):117-28.
6. Pulver D, Schoenberg M, Pulver F. Bladder Cancer: A Patient-Friendly Guide to Understanding Your Diagnosis and Treatment Options. Patient-Friendly Publishing; 2017.
