Last month, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a new wearable device for treating pancreatic cancer. This device, called Optune Pax, sends alternating electric fields to the abdomen.
Novacure developed this non-invasive device to generate tumor treating fields (TTFields) that prevent cell division. TTFields primarily affect rapidly dividing cells, such as pancreatic cancer cells, and usually leave healthy tissues unharmed. Using TTFields on pancreatic tumors cause cancer cells to die.
Optune Pax uses electrically insulated patches that attach to the skin with an adhesive. These patches connect to an electric field generator, which is carried in a special bag and provides electric pulses.
Frank Leonard, the CEO of Novocure, explained, “The FDA approval of Optune Pax marks the first new treatment in decades for people living with locally advanced pancreatic cancer. Systemic therapies have shown poor bioavailability in pancreatic tumors, limiting their effectiveness. Optune Pax is a fundamentally different treatment, utilizing a biophysical approach that targets the unique electrical properties of cancer cells.”
Patients require training to use the device, including placing the patches in the correct position, charging the batteries, and replacing the transducer. Once the device is running, patients will receive continuous treatment while still going about their normal activities and routines.
The international phase 3 clinical trial (NCT03377491) supporting FDA approval of Optune Pax included 571 patients with advanced pancreatic cancer who all received standard chemotherapy. Half the patients also wore the Optune Pax concomitantly with receiving chemotherapy. Patients who used Optune Pax along with chemotherapy lived about two months longer than those who had chemotherapy alone. One-year survival was also significantly higher among patients who used both treatments.
The clinical trial also showed that patients who received both treatments had a better quality of life. Compared to those who only had chemotherapy, patients using Optune Pax with chemotherapy had longer deterioration-free survival.
Sources: FDA, Novacure, JAMA
