ST. HELIER, Jersey--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Novocure (NASDAQ: NVCR) announced today that the results of its INNOVATE phase 2 pilot trial have been published in Gynecologic Oncology. The INNOVATE trial was a prospective, single-arm study testing the feasibility, safety and preliminary efficacy of Tumor Treating Fields combined with weekly paclitaxel in recurrent ovarian cancer. Tumor Treating Fields is a cancer therapy that uses electric fields tuned to specific frequencies to disrupt cell division, inhibiting tumor growth and causing affected cancer cells to die. Progression free survival of recurrent ovarian cancer patients treated with Tumor Treating Fields plus weekly paclitaxel was more than double that of weekly paclitaxel-treated historical controls.
“A clear unmet need remains for patients with recurrent ovarian cancer, particularly for those patients resistant to platinum-based chemotherapy, with median overall survival of about 13 months post recurrence,” said Dr. Ignace Vergote, Chairman of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Gynaecologic Oncology at the Catholic University of Leuven, European Union, and an investigator in the trial. “These phase 2 pilot data show that Tumor Treating Fields combined with paclitaxel has the potential to increase survival without significantly increasing side effects for recurrent ovarian cancer patients.”
Median progression free survival in the Tumor Treating Fields-treated group (n=31) was 8.9 months (compared to 3.9 months in paclitaxel-alone historical controls) and median overall survival was not yet reached. Median one-year survival in the Tumor Treating Fields-treated group was 61 percent. The median compliance of patients with Tumor Treating Fields in the first three months of treatment was 77 percent. Two cases of severe skin irritation due to Tumor Treating Fields were reported. No other serious device-related adverse events were reported.
“These are encouraging results in a disease state that is very difficult to treat,” said Dr. Eilon Kirson, Novocure’s Chief Science Officer and Head of Research and Development. “We are now working to open INNOVATE-3, a phase 3 pivotal trial to further study Tumor Treating Fields for the treatment of recurrent ovarian cancer.”
About Ovarian Cancer
In the United States, ovarian cancer ranks fifth in cancer deaths among women, accounting for more deaths than any other cancer of the female reproductive system. Ovarian cancer incidence increases with age, and the median age at time of diagnosis is 63 years old. The incidence of ovarian cancer is approximately 22,000 new cases annually in the United States, approximately 68,000 new cases annually in Europe, and approximately 10,000 new cases annually in Japan. Tumor Treating Fields is not approved for the treatment of ovarian cancer by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The safety and effectiveness of Tumor Treating Fields for ovarian cancer has not been established.
About Novocure
Novocure is an oncology company developing a profoundly different cancer treatment utilizing a proprietary therapy called Tumor Treating Fields, the use of electric fields tuned to specific frequencies to disrupt solid tumor cancer cell division. Novocure’s commercialized product is approved for the treatment of adult patients with glioblastoma. Novocure has ongoing or completed clinical trials investigating Tumor Treating Fields in brain metastases, non-small cell lung cancer, pancreatic cancer, ovarian cancer and mesothelioma.
Headquartered in Jersey, Novocure has U.S. operations in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Malvern, Pennsylvania and New York City. Additionally, the company has offices in Germany, Switzerland, Japan and Israel. For additional information about the company, please visit www.novocure.com or follow us at www.twitter.com/novocure.
Forward-Looking Statements
In addition to historical facts or statements of current condition, this press release may contain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements provide Novocure’s current expectations or forecasts of future events. These may include statements regarding anticipated scientific progress on its research programs, clinical trial progress, development of potential products, interpretation of clinical results, prospects for regulatory approval, manufacturing development and capabilities, market prospects for its products, coverage, collections from third-party payers and other statements regarding matters that are not historical facts. You may identify some of these forward-looking statements by the use of words in the statements such as “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “project,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe” or other words and terms of similar meaning. Novocure’s performance and financial results could differ materially from those reflected in these forward-looking statements due to general financial, economic, regulatory and political conditions as well as more specific risks and uncertainties facing Novocure such as those set forth in its Annual Report on Form 10-K filed on February 22, 2018, with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Given these risks and uncertainties, any or all of these forward-looking statements may prove to be incorrect. Therefore, you should not rely on any such factors or forward-looking statements. Furthermore, Novocure does not intend to update publicly any forward-looking statement, except as required by law. Any forward-looking statements herein speak only as of the date hereof. The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 permits this discussion.
