UroLift launched in Japanese BPH market
The UroLift System has been officially launched in Japan for the treatment of patients with lower urinary tract symptoms due to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), according to Teleflex, the developer of the therapy.1
UroLift (prostatic urethral lift) is a permanent implant that relieves prostate obstruction. The implant, “holds the enlarged prostate tissue out of the way so it no longer blocks the urethra.” It is inserted transurethrally in an outpatient procedure that usually takes under 1 hour. UroLift does not require either ongoing medication or cutting, heating, or removal of prostate tissue.
“As we execute on our overseas expansion strategy for the UroLift System, Japan represents an important milestone in our progress. The UroLift System offers clinical benefits in the minimally invasive treatment of BPH. Our commercialization in Japan marks another step in our goal to make this novel therapy more broadly available to men outside the United States suffering from BPH. Teleflex remains committed to its goal to make the UroLift System the standard of care in the treatment of BPH globally,” Liam Kelly, chairman, president, and chief executive officer of Teleflex state in a press release.
Nam Lee, managing director for Teleflex in Japan, added, “Launching the UroLift System in Japan and offering new treatment options for patients with BPH is monumental. We are pleased to be able to help more patients with BPH with this proven treatment and look forward to the continued global growth of the UroLift System.”
In the United States, UroLift was cleared by the FDA in 2013. A key study demonstrating the efficacy of the implant was the LIFT trial, which included 206 patients with BPH-related LUTS. The study randomized 140 patients to UroLift and 66 to sham. Results showed that UroLift reduced the American Urological Association Symptom Index (AUASI) score by 11.1 ± 7.67, compared with a reduction of 5.9 ± 7.66 with sham (P = .003).
The findings from LIFT also showed that at 3 months, peak urinary flow rate with UroLift increased by 4.4 ml per second. At 12 months, this was sustained at 4.0 ml per second. Also of note, no patients experienced de novo ejaculatory or erectile dysfunction with UroLift. Regarding safety, the majority of adverse events observed were mild and did not last long.
According to Teleflex, both the American Urological Association and European Association of Urology clinical guidelines recommend UroLift for the treatment of BPH.
References
1. Teleflex Announces the Launch of the UroLift® System in Japan for the Treatment of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH). Published online April 11, 2022. Accessed April 11, 2022. https://bit.ly/3uul4El.
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