EANS-News: biolitec´s cancer therapy successful with Foscan® - PDT-drug has a positive effect in two thirds of the "hopeless cases" - Free of charge treatment in the Netherlands
Jena/Germany, Amsterdam/Netherlands (euro adhoc) -
A European clinical multicenter study shows that 68% of the patients treated with photodynamic therapy (PDT) using biolitecs cancer drug Foscan® responded well 27% chance of living tumor-free for five years or more Free of charge treatment in the Netherlands possible now
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New Products/Research & Development
Subtitle: A European clinical multicenter study shows that 68% of the patients treated with photodynamic therapy (PDT) using biolitecs cancer drug Foscan® responded well 27% chance of living tumor-free for five years or more Free of charge treatment in the Netherlands possible now
October 28, 2010 - biolitec´s PDT drug Foscan® brings new hope for patients with head and neck cancer.
A study performed with Foscan® photodynamic therapy (PDT) at 13 European centers in four countries in patients with advanced head & neck cancer failing previous therapies and without any therapeutic alternative brings new hope for these patients: 68% of the treated patients responded well or very well to it: The probability of these patients for living disease free after five years is 40% (27% for all treated patients). None of the current standard therapies such as surgery, radiation, chemotherapy or a combination thereof were deemed to be of any use for those patients. Most of the treated patients experienced an improvement of quality of life by the Foscan treatment. The study indicates that a quarter of these patients, who have been considered untreatable, now has a chance for cure from their dreadful disease.
Since modern cancer drugs in the initial phase are often prohibitively expensive and modern therapy concepts are not readily available everywhere, patients in the Netherlands now have the opportunity to get the photodynamic therapy treatment (PDT) with Foscan® free of charge within three years (2009 - 2011). A parallel conducted cost efficiency study on Foscan® treatment is partially supported by ZonMw, the Dutch organisation for Health Research and Development.
The PDT treatment contains several steps: First patients receive Foscan®, a so- called photosensitizer from biolitec pharma Ltd. After four days, when the photosensitizer has concentrated in the tumor tissue, it is irradiated by laser and the cells of the diseased tissue are destroyed by activating the agent. The drug is approved by the European Health Authority EMEA for palliative treatment of head and neck cancer.
At the moment, Foscan® is applied especially for the treatment of the so-called squamous cell carcinoma, a malignant tumor originating from the epithelium of skin and mucosa. Relapses, that are reoccurring tumors of this cancer type, can also be treated with photodynamic therapy and Foscan®.
Worldwide, approximately 143.000 people develop head or neck cancer each year. It is the sixth most common type of cancer to die of, in Europe 68.000 people die from it every year. In the Netherlands 2.400 people develop head and neck cancer annually. Patients in the Netherlands are treated at the following renowned medical centers: Netherlands Cancer Institute (NKI) in Amsterdam (Prof. Bing Tan), Groningen University Medical Center (M.J.H. Witjes), Erasmus University Medical Center in Rotterdam (C.A. Meeuwis), Utrecht University Medical Center (W.W. Braunius) and Maastricht Academic Hospital (K.W. Kross).
About biolitec biolitec AG is one of the worldwide leading companies in the field of medical laser treatment and the only provider that possesses all the relevant core competences - photosensitizers, laser devices and optical fibers - in the field of photodynamic therapy (PTD). Besides the laser treatment of cancer with Foscan®, biolitec primarily develops minimally-invasive and gentle laser treatments and markets them. ELVeS® (Endo Laser Vein System) is the laser system most frequently used worldwide for the treatment of varicose veins, the Evolve? laser is established as gentle treatment in urology for BPH. Gentle laser treatments in the fields of proctology, ENT, orthopedics and ophthalmology as well as aesthetics also belong to the business field of biolitec. biolitec AG is listed in the Prime Standard and the German Entrepreneurial Index GEX® (ISIN DE0005213409). Further information: www.biolitec.de.
end of announcement euro adhoc
Further inquiry note:
Jörn Gleisner
Tel.: +49 (69) 959083-20
E-Mail: joern.gleisner@biolitec.com
Branche: Pharmaceuticals
ISIN: DE0005213409
WKN: 521340
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