Improved treatment regimen with Metvix®
26. June 2009. Improved treatment regimen with Metvix® (MAL) for patients with thin and moderately thick AK lesions.
A recent publication concludes that Metvix®-PDT using a 1h cream application time may be sufficient for successful treatment of selected actinic keratoses (AK).
One of the study objectives was to evaluate the initial and long term effect of different application times (1h vs. 3h). 112 patients with 384 previously untreated AKs were included in the study that was conducted at 6 centres in 5 European countries. For lesions of the face/scalp (87%), lesion complete response rates were 78% for thin AKs and 74% for moderately thick AK lesions after 1h vs. 96% and 87% after 3h incubation with MAL 160 mg/g. There was no statistical difference in lesion response rate between the two regimens.
Importantly, the lesion recurrence rates at 12 months were similar (19% (3 of 16) with 1h vs. 17% (3 of 18) with 3h 160 mg/g MAL-PDT).
The Principal Investigator in the study, Prof. Braathen states that a reduction in application time from three hours to one hour offers a significant improvement in the organisation of PDT in practice and also makes it easier for the patients.
For further information, contact:
President and CEO Kjetil Hestdal
E-mail: kh@photocure.no
Mobile: +47 913 19 535
Office: +47 22 06 22 10
Photocure ASA is a Norwegian pharmaceutical company listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange. The company develops and sells pharmaceuticals and medical devices for the photodynamic treatment and diagnosis of cancer. Photocure has two proprietary pharmaceutical products on the market: Metvix®, for the treatment of sun-damaged skin and certain types of skin cancer, and Hexvix®, for the diagnosis of bladder cancer. In addition, the company has developed a proprietary light source, the Aktilite® lamp, which is used in combination with the Metvix cream. Through worldwide studies, Photocure is continuously testing its products for new indications, and the aim is to develop a pipeline of follow-on products and technologies.
Photocure®, Metvix®, Hexvix® and Aktilite® are registered trademarks of Photocure ASA.
Photocure ASA