Mechanism of Action

Optune Lua uses electric fields to disrupt cancer cell viability without affecting healthy cells1-3

Based on preclinical evidence, antimitotic effects of Optune Lua induce a downstream immunogenic antitumor response1,4

Disrupting mitosis1,5,6

As cancer cells divide rapidly, they are vulnerable to the antimitotic effect of TTFields. Preclinical evidence has shown that by exerting physical forces on electrically charged components of cancer cells, TTFields can disrupt mitotic processes, such as assembly of the mitotic spindle, leading to impaired cell division and downstream immunogenic cell death.

Activating downstream immune response1,4

According to preclinical data, immunogenic cell death leads to expansion of T cells that target cancer-specific antigens, increased T-cell infiltration at the tumor site, and increased cancer cell surveillance throughout the body.

TTFields push, pull, and spin the charged molecules, such as tubulin dimers, within tumor cells1,5,6

Disruption of mitosis causes cell damage and/or stress, and can lead to eventual immunogenic cell death1,5,6

T-cell activation is part of the downstream systemic antitumor response1,4

Healthy cells have different properties (including division rate, morphology, and electrical properties), than cancer cells, and therefore are not significantly affected by Optune Lua treatment1-3

Efficacy and safety of Optune Lua were studied in the pivotal LUNAR trial1

View the data

TTFields, Tumor Treating Fields.

 

References: 1. Optune Lua for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC). Physician Instructions for Use. Novocure; 2024.
2. Karanam NK, Story MD. Int J Radiat Biol. 2021;97(8):1044-1054. doi:10.1080/09553002.2020.1837984 3. Ahmad MA, Al Natour Z, Mustafa F, Rizvi TA. IEEE Access. 2018;6:25979-25986. doi:10.1109/ACCESS.2018.2830883 4. Voloshin T, Kaynan N, Davidi S, et al. Cancer Immunol Immunother. 2020;69(7):1191-1204. doi:10.1007/s00262-020-02534-7 5. Gera N, Yang A, Holtzman TS, Lee SX, Wong ET, Swanson KD. PLoS One. 2015;10(5):e0125269. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0125269
6. Giladi M, Schneiderman RS, Voloshin T, et al. Sci Rep. 2015;5:18046. doi:10.1038/srep18046

Important Safety Information 

Contraindications 

Do not use Optune Lua® in patients with an electrical implant. Use of Optune Lua together with electrical implants has not been tested and may lead to malfunctioning of the implanted device. 

 

Do not use Optune Lua in patients known to be sensitive to conductive hydrogels. In this case, skin contact with the gel used with Optune Lua may commonly cause increased redness and itching, and rarely may even lead to severe allergic reactions, such as a fall in blood pressure and breathing difficulty.

Warnings and Precautions 

Optune Lua can only be prescribed by a healthcare provider that has completed the required certification training provided by Novocure® (the device manufacturer). 

 

Do not prescribe Optune Lua for patients who are pregnant, whom you think might be pregnant, or who are trying to get pregnant, as the safety and effectiveness of Optune Lua in these populations have not been established. 

 

The most common (≥10%) adverse events involving Optune Lua concurrent with PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors or docetaxel were dermatitis, musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, anemia, dyspnea, nausea, cough, diarrhea, anorexia, pruritus, leukopenia, pneumonia, respiratory tract infection, localized edema, rash, pain, constipation, skin ulcers, and hypokalemia. 

 

Other potential adverse effects associated with the use of Optune Lua include treatment related skin toxicity, allergic reaction to the adhesive or to the gel, overheating of the array leading to pain and/or local skin burns, infections at the site where the arrays make contact with the skin, local warmth and tingling sensation beneath the arrays, medical device site reaction, muscle twitching, and skin breakdown or skin ulcer. 

 

If the patient has an underlying serious skin condition on the chest, evaluate whether this may prevent or temporarily interfere with Optune Lua treatment.

 

Indication For Use

Optune Lua is intended as a treatment concurrent with PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors or docetaxel for adult patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer who have progressed on or after a platinum-based regimen. 

 


Please see full Instructions For Use (IFU) and Patient Information and Operation Manual (PIOM) for Optune Lua®.

Important Safety Information 

Contraindications 

Do not use Optune Lua® in patients with an electrical implant. Use of Optune Lua together with electrical implants has not been tested and may lead to malfunctioning of the implanted device. 

 

Do not use Optune Lua in patients known to be sensitive to conductive hydrogels. In this case, skin contact with the gel used with Optune Lua may commonly cause increased redness and itching, and rarely may even lead to severe allergic reactions, such as a fall in blood pressure and breathing difficulty.

Warnings and Precautions 

Optune Lua can only be prescribed by a healthcare provider that has completed the required certification training provided by Novocure® (the device manufacturer). 

 

Do not prescribe Optune Lua for patients who are pregnant, whom you think might be pregnant, or who are trying to get pregnant, as the safety and effectiveness of Optune Lua in these populations have not been established. 

 

The most common (≥10%) adverse events involving Optune Lua concurrent with PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors or docetaxel were dermatitis, musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, anemia, dyspnea, nausea, cough, diarrhea, anorexia, pruritus, leukopenia, pneumonia, respiratory tract infection, localized edema, rash, pain, constipation, skin ulcers, and hypokalemia. 

 

Other potential adverse effects associated with the use of Optune Lua include treatment related skin toxicity, allergic reaction to the adhesive or to the gel, overheating of the array leading to pain and/or local skin burns, infections at the site where the arrays make contact with the skin, local warmth and tingling sensation beneath the arrays, medical device site reaction, muscle twitching, and skin breakdown or skin ulcer. 

 

If the patient has an underlying serious skin condition on the chest, evaluate whether this may prevent or temporarily interfere with Optune Lua treatment.

 

Indication For Use

Optune Lua is intended as a treatment concurrent with PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors or docetaxel for adult patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer who have progressed on or after a platinum-based regimen. 

 


Please see full Instructions For Use (IFU) and Patient Information and Operation Manual (PIOM) for Optune Lua®.

Novocure Websites

This website is intended for US healthcare professionals seeking information on Optune Lua.

 

 

 

 

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OptuneLuaHCP.com/MPM
Novocuretrials.com

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US-OPL-00070 v1.0 November 2024