FDA approves Pylarify, the first and only commercially available PSMA PET imaging agent for prostate cancer- Lantheus Holdings

Pylarify is the first and only commercially available approved PSMA PET imaging agent for prostate cancer. The product will be immediately available in parts of the mid-Atlantic and southern regions and availability is expected to rapidly expand over the next six months with broad availability across the U.S. anticipated by year end Identification of suspected metastatic disease in men considering initial definitive therapy is important to optimize treatment planning and to avoid futile interventions. Of men with localized prostate cancer who undergo initial curative intent/management, up to 50% may experience recurrence of their disease within ten years of treatment. Recurrent disease is often detected by a rise in serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels; however, conventional imaging, especially at low PSA levels, is not able to identify the location and extent of the disease in the majority of cases. Pylarify was developed to target PSMA, a protein that is overexpressed on the surface of more than 90% of primary and metastatic prostate cancer cells. Pylarify binds to the target, enabling the reader of the PET scan to detect and locate the disease. Cyclotron production of F 18 offers high batch capacity and high image resolution, and F 18’s 110-minute half-life allows for wide geographic distribution. “Conventional imaging has significant limitations in detecting prostate cancer, both in initial staging and when the cancer has recurred or spread after initial primary treatment. Specifically, standard imaging poorly detects the early spread to distant organs, such as the lymph nodes, bones, and other organs,” said Michael J. Morris, M.D., Prostate Cancer Section Head, Genitourinary Medical Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and the Lead Study Investigator in the CONDOR trial and Study Investigator in the OSPREY trial. “Pylarify can detect the spread of disease well before standard imaging and can be a transformative diagnostic tool that helps clinicians develop treatment plans based on a much more accurate understanding of a patient’s distribution of disease.”.