PLEASANTON, Calif.– May 11, 2017 – NeoTract, Inc., a medical device company focused on addressing unmet needs in the field of urology, today announced that Cigna, a global health service company that provides insurance for over 14 million Americans, has established coverage for the UroLift® System for the treatment of enlarged prostate, or benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).
“We are thrilled that with this coverage determination, the UroLift System is now available to more than 70% of men with BPH in the U.S. Cigna is one of the largest private insurers in the country, and this coverage decision is further reinforcement that treatment with the UroLift System continues to be recognized as an important treatment option in the standard of care for BPH,” said Dave Amerson, president and CEO, NeoTract, Inc. “This decision, coupled with the recent completion of the five-year L.I.F.T. randomized study showing long-term durability, inspires us to work even harder to bring UroLift to the millions of men currently dealing with the side effects of medication or confronting the possibility of a surgical procedure that may leave them with permanent sexual dysfunction.”
The UroLift System is a treatment that has demonstrated that it can get men off BPH medications and allow them to avoid major surgery, while preserving sexual function. Results of the five-year L.I.F.T. study demonstrate that the UroLift System treatment provides a highly tolerable, minimally invasive procedural experience, rapid reduction of symptoms after the procedure while preserving sexual function, and sustained improvements in QoL (Quality of Life) score, IPSS (International Prostate Symptom Score), and Qmax (peak urinary flow rate). In addition, the retreatment rate was just 2-3% per year,1 among the lowest of all BPH treatments.2
Nearly 40 million men in the United States are affected by BPH, which occurs with advancing age when the prostate gland that surrounds the male urethra becomes enlarged and begins to obstruct the urinary system. Symptoms of BPH often include interrupted sleep and urinary problems, and can cause loss of productivity and decreased quality of life.
Medication is often the first-line therapy for enlarged prostate, but relief can be inadequate and temporary. Side effects of medical therapy can include sexual dysfunction, dizziness and headaches, prompting many patients to discontinue using drugs. For these patients, the classic alternative is surgery that removes or reduces the amount of prostate tissue to open the blocked urethra. While current surgical options can be very effective in relieving symptoms, they can also leave patients with permanent side effects such as urinary incontinence, erectile dysfunction and retrograde ejaculation (dry orgasm).
About the UroLift System
The FDA-cleared UroLift System is a novel, minimally invasive technology for treating lower urinary tract symptoms due to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). The UroLift permanent implants, delivered during a minimally invasive transurethral outpatient procedure, relieve prostate obstruction and open the urethra directly without cutting, heating, or removing prostate tissue. Clinical data from a pivotal 206-patient randomized controlled study showed that patients with enlarged prostate receiving UroLift implants reported rapid and durable symptomatic and urinary flow rate improvement without compromising sexual function. Patients also experienced a significant improvement in quality of life. Most common adverse events reported include hematuria, dysuria, micturition urgency, pelvic pain, and urge incontinence. Most symptoms were mild to moderate in severity and resolved within two to four weeks after the procedure. The UroLift System is available in the U.S., Europe, Australia, Canada, Mexico and South Korea. Learn more at www.UroLift.com.
About NeoTract
NeoTract, Inc. is dedicated to developing innovative, minimally invasive and clinically effective devices that address unmet needs in the field of urology. The company’s initial focus is on improving the standard of care for patients with BPH using the UroLift System, a minimally invasive permanent implant system that treats symptoms while preserving normal sexual function. Learn more at www.NeoTract.com.
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Nicole Osmer
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nicole@healthandcommerce.com
1 Roehrborn et al. EAU 2017
2Roehrborn, 2015 Can J Urol, 3 yr results of PUL LIFT study
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