Metvix Photodynamic Therapy
Metvix® was developed by PhotoCure as a treatment for skin cancer (basal cell carcinoma, BCC) and precancerous skin lesions (actinic keratosis, AK). BCC and AK are common skin conditions resulting from excessive exposure of skin to sunlight.
The incidence of these skin conditions is particularly high in the United States, Europe and Australia, and increasing every year.
Patient with sun-damaged skin and multiple AK, before and after Metvix® treatment.
It is estimated that the incidence of BCC exceeds 500,000 cases in Europe each year, with an equivalent figure for AK of approximately 5 million cases. PhotoCure estimates that in Europe, only 20% of all AKs are treated. In the US, there is an estimated incidence of 1 million cases of BCC and 10 million cases of AK. It is estimated that approximately 4 million cases of AK are treated in the US each year, representing just 40% of the total cases of AK. In Australia there are approximately 175,000 new cases of BCC every year, with an equivalent figure of 2 million AKs.
Other potential indications for Metvix® include topical treatment of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) in situ, acne. skin rejuvenation, photodynamic diagnosis (PD), wound healing and treatment of skin dysplasia in immuno-compromised patients.
Metvix® is a cream that is applied topically after limited preparation of the lesion. Following application, the cream is left on the lesion for a certain time period (normally three hours), to allow the active ingredient to be absorbed into the target cells. The active ingredient in the Metvix® cream is methylaminolevulinate, which is converted into a photosensitiser inside the cancerous cell. The photosensitiser accumulates selectively in these cells. Once the three-hour period has elapsed, the area of skin selected for treatment is illuminated by red light for approximately ten minutes. The red light excites the photosensitiser, producing cytotoxic singlet oxygen, which destroys the cancerous cells.
Aktilite® is PhotoCure's proprietary red light source. The key characteristic of red light is its ability to effectively penetrate human tissue, improving the ability of the treatment to address thicker lesions.
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| 1) Crusts and scales are removed. | 2) Metvix® cream is applied to the lesion. |
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| 3) The cream is covered with plastic film and left to work for three hours. | 4) The area is then illuminated with Aktilite® for about ten minutes, and the cancerous cells die. |
Key Advantages
- Highly effective at killing cancer cells selectively
- Superior cosmetic outcome, does not burn or scar
- Little to no side effects
- The procedure can be repeated if necessary without complication
Simple and cost effective procedure - Topical treatment means low systemic uptake
- During clinical trials, Metvix® was used on more than 3,000 patients in more than 100 clinical centres worldwide.