Earnings Release • Jun 13, 2022
Earnings Release
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Positive Data from the Danish National Patient Registry presented at the 2022 Nordic Urologisk Forening (NUF) Congress in Helsinki
Lower rates of bladder cancer recurrence and progression demonstrated in clinics
with a high level of blue light cystoscopy (BLC[®]) use in primary patients
Photocure sponsor of the Residents Day during the NUF congress
Press Release - Oslo, Norway, June 13, 2022: Photocure ASA (OSE: PHO) announces
that positive data from a Danish population registry study featuring nearly
10,000 bladder cancer patients was presented at the Nordisk Urologisk Forening
(NUF) congress in Helsinki, Finland last week. NUF was being held June 8-11,
2022 as an in-person event for the first time since 2019. Photocure's presence
at and commitment to NUF was reinforced by sponsoring the Residents Day event
for this year's congress. Nordic Residents in Urology is a NUF group, which aims
to increase collaboration and networking between young urologists in the Nordic
countries in order to improve overall education and research opportunities.
Nordisk Urologisk Forening is an association of the national urological
societies in Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland and Iceland, supporting close
cooperation of Nordic urologists in various fields of education, science and
clinical work. The NUF meeting is bi-annual, bringing together Nordic
urologists, nurses and healthcare industry to meet and share best practice.
Photocure, The Bladder Cancer Company, was present in Helsinki during the whole
event.
In the scientific program on Bladder Cancer topics, BLC was prominently featured
again this year: a Danish population study assessing recurrence and progression
impact of BLC using national registries in Denmark was presented at NUF.
The study abstract entitled "Use of photodynamic diagnosis (PDD) at primary
TURB*: Potential influence on recurrence and progression rates in NMIBC in a
registry-based study using a country cohort" shows beneficial impact on
recurrence and progression in patients treated at clinics who have a higher
level of use of BLC in primary patients. The results are based on data from
nearly 10,000 patients identified through the Danish National Patient Registry,
corresponding to all newly diagnosed NMIBC patients in Denmark in the period
2011-2017.
Linea Blichert-Refsgaard (MD, PhD student) presented this study live on June 9
and in a poster, concluding that "Common use of PDD in the primary TURB at
department level seems to be associated with lower 5-year recurrence and
progression risks".
Jørgen Bjerggaard Jensen (MD, DMSc, Professor, Consultant in Urology, Chairman
of the Danish Bladder Cancer Group and the Nordic Urothelial Cancer Research
Group, Department of Urology Aarhus University Hospital put the importance of
these study results into perspective, stating: "These real world data results
show the true potential of adding better visual diagnostic methods in endoscopy
compared to the old standard with conventional white light".
The abstract is available here: http://www.nuf2021.fi/abstracts/ and will be
published in "Scandinavian Journal of Urology" after the congress.
* TURB / TURBT: Transurethral resection of bladder tumor
** NMIBC: Non-muscle invasive bladder cancer
Note to editors:
All trademarks mentioned in this release are protected by law and are registered
trademarks of Photocure ASA.
About Bladder Cancer
Bladder cancer ranks as the 8[th] most common cancer worldwide - the 5[th] most
common in men - with 1 720 000 prevalent cases (5-year prevalence rate)[1a],
573 000 new cases and more than 200 000 deaths in 2020.[1b]
Approx. 75% of all bladder cancer cases occur in men.[1] It has a high
recurrence rate with up to 61% in year one and up to 78% over five years.[2]
Bladder cancer has the highest lifetime treatment costs per patient of all
cancers.[3]
Bladder cancer is a costly, potentially progressive disease for which patients
have to undergo multiple cystoscopies due to the high risk of recurrence. There
is an urgent need to improve both the diagnosis and the management of bladder
cancer for the benefit of patients and healthcare systems alike.
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. NMIBC remains in the inner layer of cells lining
the bladder. These cancers are the most common (75%) of all BC cases and include
the subtypes Ta, carcinoma in situ (CIS) and T1 lesions. In MIBC the cancer has
grown into deeper layers of the bladder wall. These cancers, including subtypes
T2, T3 and T4, are more likely to spread and are harder to treat.[4]
[1] Globocan. a) 5-year prevalence / b) incidence/mortality by population.
Available at: https://gco.iarc.fr/today, accessed [January 2022].
[2] Babjuk M, et al. Eur Urol. 2019; 76(5): 639-657
[3] Sievert KD et al. World J Urol 2009;27:295-300
[4] Bladder Cancer. American Cancer
Society. https://www.cancer.org/cancer/bladder-cancer.html
About Hexvix[®]/Cysview[®] (hexaminolevulinate HCl)
Hexvix/Cysview is a drug that preferentially accumulates in cancer cells in the
bladder, making them glow bright pink during Blue Light Cystoscopy (BLC[®]). BLC
with Hexvix/Cysview, compared to standard white light cystoscopy alone, improves
the detection of tumors and leads to more complete resection, fewer residual
tumors, and better management decisions.
Cysview[ ]is the tradename in the U.S. and Canada, Hexvix[ ]is the tradename in
all other markets. Photocure is commercializing Cysview/Hexvix directly in the
U.S. and Europe and has strategic partnerships for the commercialization of
Hexvix/Cysview in China, Chile, Australia, and New Zealand. Please refer to
https://photocure.com/partners/our-partners for further information on our
commercial partners.
About Photocure ASA
Photocure: The Bladder Cancer Company delivers transformative solutions to
improve the lives of bladder cancer patients. Our unique technology, making
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, www.cysview.com
For further information, please contact:
Dan Schneider
President and CEO
Photocure ASA
Email: [email protected]
Erik Dahl
CFO
Photocure ASA
Tel: +4745055000
Email: [email protected]
David Moskowitz
Vice President, Investor Relations
Photocure ASA
Tel: +1 202 280 0888
Email: [email protected]
Media and IR enquiries:
Geir Bjørlo
Corporate Communications (Norway)
Tel: +47 91540000
Email: [email protected]
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