Novocure's Tumor Treating Fields System NovoTTF-100L Receives FDA Approval for Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma

VCBeat (WeChat ID: vcbeat) has learned that biotechnology company Novocure (NASDAQ: NVCR) recently announced that its Tumor Treating Fields therapy system, NovoTTF-100L, has received FDA approval for the treatment of pleural mesothelioma.

Novocure, founded in Israel in 2000, is a biotechnology company that utilizes electric fields to treat tumors, with operations in the United States, Europe, and Asia. The company’s therapeutic approach does not rely on pharmaceuticals or biologics; instead, it employs electric fields at specific frequencies to treat solid tumors. Novocure posits that the electrical properties of human cells can serve as effective targets for anti-tumor therapy.

Crunchbase data shows that the company has completed three rounds of financing since its inception. Notably, in February 2018, it secured $150 million in funding led by BioPharma Credit.

Novocure has developed a dedicated electric field therapy system, shaped like a cap and embedded with electronic components, which continuously delivers electronic pulses of varying frequencies to patients via electrical currents. The system is capable of switching electrodes at a frequency of 100,000 to 300,000 times per second, thereby inhibiting the division and growth of cancer cells to slow or reverse the progression of solid tumors.

Currently, Novocure has developed multiple types of Tumor Treating Fields (TTFields) therapy systems, which can treat more than 18 types of solid tumors and 8 types of internal tumors, such as ovarian cancer, malignant pleural mesothelioma, glioblastoma, non-small cell lung cancer, pancreatic cancer, and liver cancer.

NovoTTF-100L is a non-invasive therapy for the treatment of unresectable, locally advanced or metastatic malignant pleural mesothelioma. Preclinical data indicate that among 80 patients with unresectable malignant pleural mesothelioma treated with this system, the median survival was extended by 18.2 months.

Bill Doyle, Chairman of the Board of NovoCure, stated, “Since 2000, we have been developing and commercializing Tumor Treating Fields therapy systems to improve survival rates for patients with malignant tumors. NovoTTF-100L is the first FDA-approved therapy for pleural mesothelioma in 15 years, marking a significant milestone in the company’s development.”

Mary Hesdorffer, Executive Director of the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation, stated, “Pleural mesothelioma is a highly aggressive tumor, and only 10% to 20% of patients are eligible for tumor resection surgery. Generally, patients with pleural mesothelioma are not candidates for surgery and can only receive conservative treatment to alleviate symptoms. The NovoTTF-100L system provides a new treatment option for patients who are ineligible for surgery, holding promise to become the standard of care for this disease.”

(Compiled by Jiao Yanli)