Ambicare News

World’s First Skin Cancer Plaster Selected for NICE Consultation

Feedback needed to progress new skin cancer treatment.

A new treatment for skin cancer, which reduces the pain experienced by some patients compared to other treatment for the condition, could become more widely available within the NHS pending recommendations from The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE).

The Ambicare Health product, Ambulight PDT, which has been selected for consultation by NICE, is similar in appearance to a sticking plaster, but delivers light therapy 'on the move' to treat non-melanoma skin cancer.

Ambulight would especially benefit those who find it difficult to access the full range of options available to them for skin cancer treatment, for example elderly, immobile or disabled patients or those who may find it difficult to get to hospital for treatment due to locality or time pressures.

Members of the public are being encouraged to submit their comments and opinions which will be seriously considered and help shape the final outcome of the recommendations and their ability to access this new treatment in their local area.

The closing date for the consultation is Wednesday 2 February 2011. To provide feedback go to www.nice.org.uk

PDT treatment is less invasive than surgery and avoids the scarring associated with surgical removal of lesions, which can often require an in-patient hospital stay. Ambulight PDT enables a shift of treatment from hospitals to primary care, such as GP surgeries or local community based dermatologists.

In contrast to most Photodynamic Therapy treatment (PDT) which utilises large static light sources, Ambulight PDT can be used within the local community, avoiding the need for a hospital appointment. This could reduce the demand on NHS transport services, hospital outpatient services, as well as improving access to treatment and potentially reducing waiting times.

After the consultation closes, the Committee will review comments in order to prepare its final recommendations, which will form the basis for NICE's guidance on the use of the technology in the NHS in England.

Ambulight PDT recognises patients' needs by providing high-quality care close to a patient's home and is an attractive treatment option for some patients who want to continue with their normal daily activities while receiving treatment.

Dr Sandra Campbell, Associate Specialist in Dermatology at the Royal Cornwall Hospital comments: "The great advantage of using Ambulight PDT on skin cancer patients is that it is so convenient. Patients have reported that it is quick and easy to apply and the treatment is not at all painful, unlike some traditional PDT treatments. From a healthcare practitioner's point of view it not only saves nursing time, but has excellent manageability, so much so that the device could potentially be applied nearer to home, possibly from GP's surgeries, which would help those that are unable to spend long periods of time at hospital."

Dr Ian Muirhead, CEO of Ambicare, said: "The Ambulight PDT offers a flexible means of delivering PDT for patients with small non-melanoma skin cancers, and our findings suggest its use may be associated with less pain than conventional photodynamic therapy. We would urge anyone with experience of PDT or with an interest in skin cancer treatment to contribute to the consultation."

 

 

For further information, contact:
Stephanie Robertson | Jennifer Butler
Weber Shandwick
T: 0131 556 6659
M: 07919 447231 | M: 07770 886937
srobertson@webershandwick.com | jbutler@webershandwick.com

 

Notes to editors:

Ambulight PDT Technology
The Ambulight PDT is a light source intended for use in topical Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) of non melanoma skin cancers. It emits light with a peak wavelength of 640nm and a full width half maximum (FWHM) of 20nm. The irradiance of light emitted from the Ambulight PDT is 7mW/cm2. It delivers a total light dose of 75 J/cm2 to the treatment site and is designed to be used in conjunction with a pharmaceutical cream. Two devices are needed to complete a treatment course, with each treatment lasting six hours. The two treatments are one month apart. Ambicare's technology is IP protected and we have six patents either granted or pending.

The alternative treatment methods to PDT are surgery, use of topical creams and cryotherapy. Each of these can be painful, irritate the skin, leave scarring and can be highly stressful for the patient. PDT treatment is less invasive than surgery and avoids the scarring associated with surgical removal of the lesion which can often require an in-patient hospital stay. Ambulight PDT gives healthcare providers the opportunity to shift treatment from hospitals to primary care, such as GP surgeries or office based dermatologists.


PDT
In Europe PDT is regularly the first line of treatment recommended for non melanoma skin cancer. It is a two-step process involving the application of a pharmaceutical cream which creates a photosensitive daughter compound, followed by controlled exposure to a selective light source which activates the light sensitive chemical and destroys the diseased cells.


Skin Cancer Statistics
Cancer affects a large and growing proportion of the world's population, driven by an aging demographic and insufficient protection from sun exposure. The incidence of non-malignant skin cancer continues to grow rapidly and now affects 15% of the UK, 40% of the USA, and 75% of the Australian populations during their lifetimes. Ambulight PDT has a current potential target market in excess of £640m. The number of skin cancer lesions requiring treatment is doubling every 10 years, as individuals in affluent western societies live longer and are affected by the consequences of excessive sun exposure. By 2015, this would give Ambicare Health a total addressable market approaching £1 billion.

About NICE
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) is the independent organisation responsible for providing national guidance and standards on the promotion of good health and the prevention and treatment of ill health.



20th January 2011