お知らせ • Mar 25
Photocure ASA Announces Clinical Data Presentations At the European Association of Urology 2025 Congress Highlight the Benefits of Using Blue Light Cystoscopy in Bladder Cancer
Photocure ASA announced two abstract presentations at the 2025 European Association of Urology congress (EAU) in Madrid, Spain, highlighting the benefits of Blue Light Cystoscopy (BLC®), notably its impact on recurrence risk and ability to help urologists make the best bladder cancer management choices for their patients. The EAU annual meeting is one of the largest international meetings in the urology calendar, showcasing the latest and most relevant clinical and scientific advancements in this area of patient care. This year's event was held on March 21-24, 2025, and attracted urologists from all over the world. Photocure participated with its Hexvix® product designed for better detection and resection of bladder tumors under the theme that "Seeing is believing". As in the past two years, Photocure will make 2025 EAU bladder cancer session highlights available to healthcare professionals after the event, by means of video interviews with the presenters of these sessions at the Photocure booth B28. This successful initiative is once again supported by two of the leading names in Bladder Cancer in Europe, Prof. M. Rouprêt, APHP, Sorbonne University Paris, France and Prof. P. Gontero, Division of Urology, University of Studies of Torino, Italy. In addition to this educational activity, the EAU scientific program prominently features Photocure's Hexvix product and/or the blue light cystoscopy procedure in which it is used. In particular, two notable abstract presentations were: The impact of PDD on recurrence and progression in BCG-treated NMIBC* patients: a nationwide follow-up study: This nationwide cohort study investigates the association of PDD on recurrence and progression risk in BCG-treated NMIBC patients, using Danish registry data from 2009-2022 assessing patients treated with BCG for primary NMIBC. In the study, 4318 patients from the Danish registry were identified with a first-time NMIBC diagnosis that were treated with BCG. Of the study subjects, 2388 (55%) of patients were diagnosed with the assistance of PDD. Basic demographics, stage and grade was comparable between the two groups. There were no differences in BCG-response across exposure groups. Age adjusted relative risk of recurrence was 0.88 (0.79 – 0.97) and 0.97 (0.89 – 1.05) at 1 and 5 years, respectively for the PDD-group compared to the non PDD-group. Age adjusted relative risk for progression was 0.93 (0.73 – 1.19) and 1.01 (0.84 – 1.21) at 1 and 5 years, respectively for the PDD-group.
Trans Urethral Laser Ablation of bladder tumors under local anesthesia: A prospective study of pain and recurrences: This study investigated the short- and long-term oncology safety regarding recurrence and progression as well as perioperative pain after office-based Transurethral Laser Ablation (TULA) or fulguration by PDD-assisted flexible cystoscopy. This prospective observational study enrolled eligible patients from August 2017 to June 2022 at Oslo University Hospital. 329 patients were enrolled, with a median age of 74 years. The median NRS (numeric rating scale) for perioperative pain was 4 (IQR: 3-5) for both the laser and fulguration group. The 12-month relapse-free survival (RFS) was 91% overall, 93% for fulguration, and 89% for laser ablation. The 12-month PFS was 94% for the laser group and 97% for the fulguration group. The authors conclude that office-based TULA under local anesthesia using PDD-assisted flexible cystoscopy is associated with low perioperative pain and does not compromise short- or long-term RFS or PFS. Therefore, it is a feasible option regarding perioperative pain and oncological safety. During the EAU Congress, on March 21, Photocure, in collaboration with Olympus, also hosted a well-attended scientific event on 'Precision Imaging in Bladder Cancer: Focus on Blue Light Cystoscopy'. The event, chaired by Ms. Bernadett Szabados (UCLH, London, UK) and Professor Christian Beisland (Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway), brought together leading experts who exchanged insights on the importance of advanced imaging technologies in urology. This collaboration between Photocure and Olympus underscores a shared commitment to innovation in cancer imaging and improving patient outcomes.