First Patient in New Zealand Dosed with Illuccix® - Telix's Prostate Cancer Imaging Agent
MELBOURNE,Australia,Sept. 30,2022 -- Telix Pharmaceuticals Limited (ASX: TLX,Telix,the Company)today announces the first commercial dose in New Zealand of its prostate cancer imaging agent,Illuccix® (Kit for Preparation of Ga-68 Glu-urea-Lys(ahx)-hbed-CC Injection),also known as 68Ga-PSMA-11 injection.
As Illuccix rolls out to positron emission tomography (PET) sites across the country,Mercy Radiology in Auckland became the first to administer this new PSMA[1] PET imaging agent that can help health care professionals diagnose the stage and spread of disease – an important step for the optimal care of men with prostate cancer.
Illuccix,after radiolabelling with Ga-68,is a radioactive diagnostic agent indicated for use with PET imaging combined with computed tomography (CT) in patients with prostate cancer:
who are at risk of metastasis and who are suitable for initial definitive therapy.
who have suspected recurrence based on elevated serum prostate specific antigen (PSA) level.
Prostate cancer is New Zealand's most common cancer,and with one in eight men diagnosed during their lifetime,New Zealand has amongst the highest rates in the world. Illuccix is the only gallium-based PSMA-targeting PET agent available in New Zealand for the diagnostic imaging of men with prostate cancer.
Dr. Remy Lim,Medical Director at Mercy Radiology stated,"We are pleased to have administered this first dose of Illuccix in New Zealand,opening up the potential for more equitable access to this new game changing imaging diagnostic scan for Kiwi men with prostate cancer. One of the main benefits of Illuccix is that the radioisotope (gallium-68) can be produced in a generator and preparation taking just a few minutes onsite with minimal equipment. This will enable greater service delivery and scheduling flexibility in our two Auckland PET/CT centres. The ease of preparation will eventually also allow us to bring PSMA PET/CT to NZ's regional centres when our mobile PET/CT service is launched in 2023."
Peter Dickens,CEO Prostate Cancer Foundation of New Zealand added,"As we mark the end of Prostate Cancer Awareness Month,we must focus on improving overall survival and underpinning quality of life through early detection based on medical innovation such as MRI and PSMA PET imaging for the many thousands of men suffering from this,NZ's most commonly diagnosed cancer. The arrival of Illuccix in Aotearoa is a welcome contribution to this fight."
Dr. David N. Cade,CEO Telix Asia Pacific continued,"This first dose marks an important milestone for Telix and for men living with prostate cancer in New Zealand,with Illuccix now available for imaging at PET sites nationwide. As an Australian headquartered company we are delighted to make this product accessible to our friends across the Tasman,fulfilling what was until now an unmet medical need,helping Telix deliver on its purpose to help people with cancer and rare diseases live longer,better quality lives."
About Illuccix®
Telix's lead product,Illuccix (Kit for Preparation of Ga-68 Glu-urea-Lys(ahx)-hbed-CC Injection),also known as 68Ga-PSMA-11 injection,has been approved by the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA),[2] and by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)[3] and permitted for commercial sale in New Zealand.[4] Telix is also progressing a marketing authorisation application for this investigational candidate in Canada.[5]
About Telix Pharmaceuticals Limited
Telix is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialisation of diagnostic and therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals. Telix is headquartered in Melbourne,Australia with international operations in the United States,Europe (Belgium and Switzerland),and Japan. Telix is developing a portfolio of clinical-stage products that aims to address significant unmet medical need in oncology and rare diseases. Telix is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX: TLX). For more information visit www.telixpharma.comand follow Telix on Twitter (@TelixPharma) and LinkedIn.
Telix Investor Relations
Ms. Kyahn Williamson
Telix Pharmaceuticals Limited
SVP Corporate Communications and Investor Relations
Email: kyahn.williamson@telixpharma.com
This announcement has been authorised for release by Dr. Christian Behrenbruch,Managing Director and Group Chief Executive Officer.
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[1] Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA).
[2]ASX disclosure 2 November 2021.
[3]ASX disclosure 20 December 2021.
[4]ASX disclosure 21 July 2022.
[5]ASX disclosure 16 December 2020.