Vantas®, The First Once-Yearly Treatment for Prostate Cancer, approved.

Vantas®, The First Once-Yearly Treatment for Prostate Cancer, approved.

Stockholm, Sweden, 12th of March Orion Corporation announce today that it has received the Swedish Medical Product Agency approval for Vantas® (histrelin acetate), a new treatment for men with advanced prostate cancer. Unlike all other current treatments for advanced prostate cancer, Vantas® only needs to be administered once a year. In Sweden approximately 10,000 men develop prostate cancer each year and represents 22% of all cancer related deaths among Swedish men.

The most commonly used medications given to patients with advanced prostate cancer are called luteinising releasing hormone (LHRH) agonists. These are designed to suppress testosterone, the male sex hormone that causes many prostate cancers to grow. Most current LHRH agonists require repeated injections every few months, or more frequently, to ensure that testosterone levels remain suppressed. Vantas® offers a once-yearly alternative that means that patients can visit their doctor as needed to manage their cancer, rather than because they are tied to a frequent injection schedule.  

A single Vantas® implant suppresses testosterone levels consistently for 12 months, achieving testosterone levels as low as 16 ng/dL within 4 weeks of insertion.(2) In comparison, other LHRH agonists require repeat doses throughout the year to maintain testosterone suppression. Not only is Vantas® highly effective, but it is also well tolerated by patients, with the most common side effects being hot flushes (a common side effect of all LHRH agonists) in 66% patients and injection site reactions in 14% of patients, which resolved in 95% after 2 weeks.

Implantation is a simple procedure that can be performed under local anaesthetic by a trained doctor or nurse in a matter of minutes using a specially designed implantation device.

About Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer primarily affects men over the age of 50, and is the most common cancer in men in Europe, representing about a quarter of all new cases of cancer diagnosed in men. Approximately 346,000 new cases of prostate cancer were indentified in Europe, in 2006,with approximately 87,000 deaths attributed to the disease.(1) The incidence of prostate cancer has increased significantly in many European countries over the last few decades, probably due to increased emphasis on screening and early diagnosis.

About Vantas®

Vantas® is a new treatment for men with advanced prostate cancer that only needs to be given once a year, freeing patients from the need for regular injections. Vantas® achieves this through the use of a new type of implantable delivery system that sits under the skin and only needs to be changed once a year.

Vantas® comprises 50 mg of the LHRH agonist histrelin acetate presented in a sterile, non-biodegradable, diffusion controlled, hydrogel reservoir drug delivery system. The Vantas® implant provides continuous subcutaneous release of histrelin acetate at an average rate of 50 mcg per day for 12 months, meaning that patients need only receive one implant per year of treatment.

About Orion

Orion is a European pharmaceuticals and diagnostics company dedicated to treating and preventing disease by discovering and developing innovative medicinal treatments and diagnostic tests for global markets. Orion is engaged in human and veterinary drugs, active pharmaceutical ingredients and diagnostic tests. In 2008, Orion's net sales were € 710.7 million. Operating profit was € 184 million, and the company invested € 99 million in pharmaceutical research and development. The number of employees is about 3100. Orion’s corporate headquarters are in Espoo, Finland. Orion is listed on NASDAQ OMX Helsinki. For more information, please visit:  http://www.orion.fi/english/.

References

1. Ferlay J et al. Estimates of the cancer incidence and mortality in Europe in 2006. Ann Oncol 2007;18(3):581-582.

2. Schlegel PN, on behalf of the Histrelin Study Group. Efficacy and safety of histrelin subdermal implant in patients with advanced prostate cancer. J Urol 2006;175:1353–1358. 

Contact

Lars Lundberg, Product Manager Region Scandinavia, Urology & Oncology