MEDINDIA
English
हिन्दी
Español
français
中文
"The six-month formulation provides physicians with a new convenientoption for patients with prostate cancer," said Bob Butchofsky, President andChief Executive Officer of QLT Inc. "Eligard sales have been strong recentlyand we believe that this new approval will help contribute to future productgrowth."
Through the first six months of 2007, Eligard worldwide sales have beenapproximately US$86.4 million. Based on the strong trend in Eligard salesduring the first half of the year in July the Company raised its annualguidance on Eligard sales to project a range of US$160 million to US$180million, an increase over previously announced guidance of US$140 million toUS$160 million.
About Eligard
Eligard, a palliative treatment for advanced prostate cancer, incorporatesa luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone agonist, or LHRH agonist, known asleuprolide acetate with QLT USA's proprietary Atrigel(R) Delivery System. TheAtrigel technology allows for sustained delivery of leuprolide acetate forperiods ranging from one to six months.
Eligard works by lowering the levels of testosterone in the body, whichmay result in a reduction of symptoms related to the disease. Sustained levelsof leuprolide decrease testosterone levels to suppress tumor growth inpatients with hormone-responsive prostate cancer. The liquid Eligard productsare injected subcutaneously with a small gauge needle, forming a solid implantin the body that slowly releases leuprolide as the implant is bioabsorbed.
About QLT
QLT Inc. is a global biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the discovery,development and commercialization of innovative therapies. Our research anddevelopment efforts are focused on pharmaceutical products in the fields ofophthalmology and dermatology. In addition, we utilize two unique technologyplatforms, photodynamic therapy and Atrigel(R), to create products such asVisudyne(R) and Eligard(R). For more information, visit our web site atwww.qltinc.com.
QLT Inc. is listed on The NASDAQ Stock Market under the trading symbol"QLTI" and on The Toronto Stock Exchange under the trading symbol "QLT."
Certain statements in this press release constitute "forward-lookingstatements" of QLT within the meaning of the Private Securities LitigationReform Act of 1995 and constitute "forward-looking information" within themeaning of the Securities Act (Ontario). Such statements include, but are notlimited to, the statement with respect to our belief that the successfulcompletion of the European approval procedure will contribute to futureproduct growth, our expectations as to the launch of the six-month formulationin 23 other European countries, the statement projecting Eligard annual sales,and statements containing words such as "expects," "believes," "potential" andsimilar expressions that do not relate to historical matters. Theseforward-looking statements are only predictions which involve known andunknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual events orresults to differ materially. Factors that could cause actual events orresults to differ materially include, but are not limited to: the risk thatAstellas may be unsuccessful in its efforts to market the six-monthformulation of Eligard; the anticipate
