Novocure announced that it submitted a premarket approval partial amendment application to the Japanese Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency for the use of Optune, a Tumor Treating Fields therapy delivery device, in patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma. The Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare approved the use of Optune in patients with recurrent glioblastoma in March 2015. Optune was approved for the treatment of newly diagnosed glioblastoma by the U.S.FDA on October 5, 2015, based on the successful results of the EF-14 phase 3 trial.

In the United States, Optune is intended as a treatment for adult patients with histologically-confirmed glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). In the United States, Optune with temozolomide is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with newly diagnosed, supratentorial glioblastoma following maximal debulking surgery and completion of radiation therapy together with concomitant standard of care chemotherapy. In the United States, for the treatment of recurrent GBM, Optune is indicated following histologically-or radiologically-confirmed recurrence in the supratentorial region of the brain after receiving chemotherapy.

The device is intended to be used as a monotherapy, and is intended as an alternative to standard medical therapy for GBM after surgical and radiation options have been exhausted. In the European Union, Optune is intended for the treatment of patients with newly diagnosed GBM, after surgery and radiotherapy with adjuvant temozolomide, concomitant to maintenance temozolomide. The treatment is intended for adult patients, 18 years of age or older, and should be started more than four weeks after surgery and radiation therapy with adjuvant temozolomide.

Treatment may be given together with maintenance temozolomide and after maintenance temozolomide is stopped. In the European Union, Optune is also intended for the treatment of patients with recurrent GBM who have progressed after surgery, radiotherapy and temozolomide treatment for their primary disease. The treatment is intended for adult patients, 18 years of age or older, and should be started more than 4 weeks after the latest surgery, radiation therapy or chemotherapy.