The Liproca® Depot Product
“It’s a well-known fact that current treatments of prostate cancer have serious adverse effects on patient’s quality of life. We wanted to develop a novel product to effectively treat the cancer while minimizing the side-effects.” (The Inventors)
The Product - A first-in-class local treatment of prostate cancer
A novel bioresorbable, biocompatible and locally injectable modified release formulation of 2-hydroxyflutamid, prepared as a paste, prior to injection, and which cures shortly after injection. The active substance (2-hydroxyflutamide, the major and active metabolite of flutamide and the fully resorbable drug carrier material (calcium sulphate) are both well-known and have been in clinical use for many years.
Injection principle similar to biopsy sampling in connection with diagnosing. The injection applicator is easy to handle and gives an accurate dosing in divided doses. The paste can be visualized with ultrasound during dosing and thus increase tumor targeting. Dosing can be individualized in relation to the volume of the prostate gland and tumor load.
The product is delivered pre-filled in a sterile container/syringe, which also acts as mixing equipment of the paste prior to injection.
The Advantages
- Local administration would provide for an optimal concentration and clinical effect of the active pharmaceutical ingredient in the target organ while the systemic concentrations remain low with no or very limited side-effects.
- Reduced dosing frequency and improved patient compliance.
- Reduced in vivo fluctuation of drug concentrations within the therapeutic interval.
- Limited risk for specific drug-drug interactions.
- The drug carrier material makes it possible to increase the accuracy in dose-positioning since the injected material will be visible with ultrasound.
- Potential for higher local tissue concentrations and thus better effect.
- Significantly reduced liver and systemic drug concentrations and therefore a great potential for reduced hormone related adverse effect panorama.
- Possible to combine also with other therapies