LONDON, January 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --
BTG plc (LSE: BTG), the specialist healthcare company, today
announced the first treatment of patients in South Korea with TheraSphere® - a
treatment for primary liver cancer and metastatic colorectal cancer
that delivers powerful radiation to tumour cells and minimises the
exposure to healthy tissue.
Professor Joseph Yun Hwan
Kim, Department of Radiology, Korea University
Anam Hospital, Seoul, South Korea,
said: "Liver cancer has a high mortality rate in Korea and the
disease affects more than 15,000 people each year, especially older
men in their 60s and 70s. It is fantastic news that this therapy is
now available to physicians to help us treat certain patients who
currently live with this condition in South Korea and may develop it in the
future."
TheraSphere® is a targeted therapy that consists of
millions of glass microspheres containing radioactive yttrium-90.
The microspheres are about 20-30 micrometers in diameter - about a
third of the width of a human hair. They are delivered directly to
liver tumours through the hepatic artery via catheter. The glass
microspheres flow directly into the liver tumour through its blood
vessels and become permanently lodged there. Because the procedure
delivers the treatment directly to the liver tumour, the radiation
destroys the tumour cells with minimal impact to the surrounding
normal liver tissue. The radioactive microspheres continue to
deliver radiation to the tumour over the course of several weeks
after treatment. TheraSphere® can also be used as a
bridge to surgical removal of diseased tissue or transplantation in
these patients.
James Glasgow, General Manager,
BTG Asia, said: "As we continue to build on our presence in
Asia, BTG is able to offer
innovative healthcare solutions to the patient populations that
need them most. Korea is now the third Asian market where we have
launched TheraSphere® - a new treatment option for
certain individuals affected by liver cancer. There has been a high
level of physician and patient interest since
TheraSphere® was launched in November, and we hope that
this newly available medical intervention will help many
individuals affected by liver cancer in South Korea."
In South Korea,
TheraSphere® is approved for the treatment of hepatic
neoplasia, which includes both hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), also
known as primary liver cancer, and metastatic liver cancer or
cancer that has spread to the liver from another point of origin.
Distributed in Korea by BL&H, TheraSphere® is also
commercially available in Hong
Kong and Singapore. Over
20,000 patients worldwide have been treated with
TheraSphere®.
South Korean hospitals have also begun enrolling patients in
international clinical studies evaluating TheraSphere®
in primary and metastatic liver cancer.
About Liver Cancer
The Asia-Pacific region accounts
for up to 80% of the world's total liver cancer cases. Primary
liver cancer is the 4th most common cancer among men and
6th most common cancer among women in Korea, accounting
for 7.9% of all cancers diagnosed in Korea in 2010 according to
National Cancer Information Center (http://www.can.go.kr ) and has
a high mortality rate.[1]
About BTG
BTG is a growing international specialist healthcare company
bringing to market innovative products in specialist areas of
medicine to better serve doctors and their patients. We have a
portfolio of Interventional Medicine products to advance the
treatment of liver tumours, advanced emphysema, severe blood clots
and varicose veins, and Specialty Pharmaceuticals that help
patients overexposed to certain medications or toxins. Inspired by
patient and physician needs, BTG is investing to expand its
portfolio to address some of today's most complex healthcare
challenges. To learn more about BTG, please visit:
http://www.btgplc.com
[1] Yoon SK, Chun HG. Status of
hepatocellular carcinoma in South
Korea. Chin Clin Oncol 2013;2(4):39. doi:
10.3978/j.issn.2304-3865.2013.11.08
For further information contact:
BTG
Chris Sampson, Corporate
Communications Director
+44-20-7575-1595; Mobile: +44-7773-251-178
Hayley Senior, Corporate
Communications Manager
+44-20-7575-1615
FTI Consulting
Ben Atwell/Simon Conway
+44(0)20-3727-1000
