An Advancing landscape of Metastatic Prostate Cancer Treatment in Germany: Lutetium-177 PSMA-617 and Its Precision Radiotherapy.
By Noura Tahboub
After cardiovascular diseases, prostate cancer is the second leading cause of all male deaths in Germany. This corresponds to 12% of all male deaths in 2023. If the cancer has not metastasized, the probability of surviving past the first 5 years at the time of diagnosis is 100%, however, if it has metastasized, that statistic greatly reduces to 30%.
Despite the recent advancements in metastatic prostate cancer, it still proves to be fatal and lacking in true options. However, the patent and approval of a newly found radioligand brings hope to this landscape. Specifically, the recent patent and production of it in Germany via German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) in collaboration with Heidelberg University Hospital and Heidelberg University.
Lutetium-177 PSMA-617 is a radioactive ligand that emits beta particles and has been found to sustain life longer in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer who have previously received chemotherapy. Lutetium-177-PSMA-617 targets PSMA-expressing cells and their surrounding microenvironment by emitting beta-particle radiation. The beta-particle radiation damages the DNA of the targeted cells, effectively and exclusively killing prostate cancer cells. One of the most notable advantages of this short-range radiotherapy is its precision. By exclusively targeting cells that convey the prostate-specific membrane antigen, lutetium-177 PSMA-617 remarkably reduces damage to nearby healthy tissue, which is a major concern of the majority of treatment approaches, including chemotherapy. Lutetium-177 PSMA-617's accuracy is particularly useful in cases of metastatic prostate cancer, in which the cancers have moved to other organs from the original site.
The drug was approved by the European Commission on Dec. 13, 2022 and already received FDA approval in the United States in March 2022. The chairman of the Board of Management of DKFZ, Michael Baumann, stated “Men with advanced prostate cancer currently have hardly any promising treatment options. The fact that these patients can now finally benefit from Lutetium-177 PSMA-617 in Germany is a great success for the DKFZ.” This goes to show the significance of the advancements in the metastatic cancer treatment horizon in Germany.
Invented and patented by DKFZ, the University of Heidelberg and Heidelberg University Hospital, Lutetium-177 PSMA 617 first entered clinical trials by BAX GmbH in Radeberg and then further developed by pharmaceutical company Novaris until it was approved. Trials have shown an increased survival in patients that have not previously received chemotherapy. The approval of such a drug in Germany is not only a medical feat, but a testament to the hope of promising cancer treatments and options.
Currently, as of 2025, the long-term safety of this radiotherapy is continuously being tested in trials run by Novartis. As we move through 2025, ongoing trials will continue to shed light on its long-term safety and effectiveness that could provide valuable insights that could help develop future cancer therapies. This medication's localization to Germany not only demonstrates Germany's dedication to advanced medical research, but it also suggests potential global treatments for metastatic prostate cancer.
