Novocure’s Optune approved in Canada for recurrent glioblastoma

Novocure announced that Health Canada has approved Optune for the treatment of newly diagnosed and recurrent glioblastoma, GBM. GBM is the most common and one of the most aggressive forms of primary brain cancer. Optune is the first treatment for glioblastoma approved in Canada in over 12 years. Optune is a medical device that works by creating Tumor Treating Fields or TTFields, which are electric fields that disrupt cancer cell division. Optune delivers TTFields therapy to the region of the tumor. Optune is small and light, weighing 2.7 pounds. This makes Optune wearable and portable, so continuous treatment can be received almost anywhere. Globally, more than 25,000 patients have been treated with Optune, to date. "We’re very happy that Health Canada has approved Optune for the treatment of GBM," said Jovan Antunovic, Country Manager of Novocure Canada. "We are grateful for the rapid and diligent review of our submission and for Health Canada’s approval of Optune. This is an important achievement in order to bring our therapy to more patients throughout Canada who can benefit."