GE Healthcare to distribute optical imaging agent for bladder cancer
10 January 2005
PhotoCure ASA of Norway has granted GE Healthcare exclusive global rights
outside of the US and the Nordic region to market and distribute PhotoCure’s
product Hexvix (hexaminolevulinate), an optical molecular imaging agent
intended for the diagnosis and monitoring of bladder cancer. PhotoCure will
be responsible for manufacturing and Nordic distribution of the product. The
licensing agreement includes an exclusive option for GE Healthcare to market
and distribute the product in the US.
Hexvix has received approval for the diagnosis of bladder cancer in a
large number of European countries through the European mutual recognition
procedure, with more expected in the near future. This product is not
currently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). However,
a New Drug Application (NDA) was submitted in June 2005 in the United States
and if approved by the FDA it would be the first optical molecular imaging
agent of its kind available to the US market. GE’s agreement includes access
to other indications for the product currently under evaluation and testing
by PhotoCure.
“This is a great match. With its focus, strong market position in imaging
and successful track record of launching new products, GE Healthcare is the
ideal partner for establishing Hexvix as a tool in the diagnosis of bladder
cancer”, said Kjetil Hestdal, president and CEO, PhotoCure.
“We believe our partnership with PhotoCure will result in significant
patient benefit in the diagnosis and management of bladder cancer,” said
Daniel L. Peters, president of Medical Diagnostics at GE Healthcare. “This
partnership underscores GE Healthcare’s commitment to addressing the unmet
clinical needs of physician customers and to enhancing the quality of
patient care through new approaches to the diagnosis and monitoring of
disease.”
Optical imaging is an imaging modality with the potential to provide new
applications in the prevention and treatment of bladder cancer as well as
other diseases. Optical imaging uses light to illuminate superficial tissue
— such as bladder tissue. By combining this technology with an optical
molecular imaging agent, tumours might be targeted more accurately. Optical
imaging may enhance the diagnostic abilities of urologists and allow for
improved patient care.
“Fluorescent optical imaging is a core GE Healthcare competency and we
have several applications of this technology in our Discovery Systems
business, including the cellular analysis research tools and pre-clinical
imaging systems we provide to our pharmaceutical customers for drug
development,” said Peters.
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