Novel glioblastoma treatment to be introduced soon

A new therapy has been included into the nation's government-backed clinical practice guideline for glioblastoma (GBM) treatment.

The guideline endorsed by the top health authority was launched recently at the annual meeting of the Glioma Committee of Chinese Medical Doctor Association (CMDA) in Xi'an, Shaanxi province.

Developed and produced by Novocure, a US-based innovative commercial stage biopharmaceutical company, Optune, the treatment of Tumor Treating Fields (TTFields) was the world's first and only FDA-approved treatment of the kind.

Under an exclusive license agreement, Zai Lab, the China and US-based innovative commercial stage biopharmaceutical company, would develop and launch TTFields technology in Greater China and collaborate with Novocure in global development of the product for other indications.

According to Liang Yi, Chief Commercial Officer of Zai Lab, the company has launched Optune in Hong Kong and treated its first patient with newly diagnosed glioblastoma multiforme in last December.

"We expect Optune to save the lives of GBM patients and help them return to a normal life. In the future, we will continue to strive for the approval and launch of this breakthrough therapy in the mainland to benefit more patients. Pending the outcome of our clinical trial waiver request with the drug authority, Optune could be expected to enter the Chinese mainland market within the year," he said.

Jiang Tao, the first chairman of the Glioma Committee of CMDA and Vice Director of Beijing Neurosurgical Institute, who is in charge of standard drafting, concluded that there're solid evidence-based clinical trials findings that support the recommendation. He also mentioned that the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) has recommended TTFields (Optune) as a standard treatment option (Category 1) for newly diagnosed glioblastoma in its Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology for Central Nervous System Cancers.

Yang Xuejun, a veteran neurological surgeon and oncologist at Tianjin Medical University General Hospital said TTFields was the only proven new treatment, in over a decade, to prolong the patient life.

"It's a breakthrough of GBM treatment worldwide," he said.

Currently, standard GBM therapies include surgery, chemo, and radiation, according to Yang. "With the paradigm shifting mechanism of action, TTFields just rewrites the treatment history and largely prolongs patient life," he added.

TTFields therapy acts only on mitotic cells and does not act on cells that do not undergo active division. With the local application mode and anti-mitotic effect, TTFields is more convenient and non-invasive, with clinically verified efficacy and fewer side effects.

Optune is now used for the treatment of GBM in the United States, Europe, Japan and Hong Kong.

Patients can use the portable appliance at medical facilities or at home after receiving trainings.

Bill Doyle, Executive Chairman of Novocure, said: "TTFields has for the first time introduced the concept of electric fields into cancer treatment, demonstrating survival benefits in patients with GBM."

"We hope that we will continue to work with Zai Lab to allow TTFields to benefit more patients as soon as possible as we strive to make a meaningful difference in the way cancer is treated in Greater China," he added.