May 13, 2019 — Blue Earth Diagnostics announced expanded access to the Axumin (fluciclovine (18F)) imaging agent in Europe. The first commercial production of Axumin in Belgium occurred recently, with the first Belgian patients being dosed. This follows the first administration of Axumin in Luxembourg earlier this year. Axumin is the first and only positron emission tomography (PET) imaging agent approved in the European Union for use in men with suspected recurrent prostate cancer. Axumin is commercially available in Belgium, Luxembourg, Italy, France, Norway, the Czech Republic, The Netherlands, United Kingdom and Austria, with further European countries set to follow soon.
Prostate cancer is a leading cause of cancer death in men. While most primary prostate cancer can be successfully treated, recurrence occurs in up to one-third of patients. Recurrent disease is typically detected by a rise in prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels but often the location and extent of the disease cannot be detected by conventional imaging. Of those who suffer biochemical recurrence, approximately one-third develop metastatic prostate cancer. Axumin was developed to target the increased amino acid transport that occurs in many cancers, including prostate cancer. It is labelled with the radioisotope (18F), enabling it to be visualized in the body with PET imaging.
For more information: www.blueearthdiagnostics.com