Here's How Novocure's Product Is Treating Cancer Patients

Novocure is an oncology company developing a profoundly different cancer treatment utilizing a proprietary therapy called Tumor Treating Fields, or TTFields, that uses electric fields to disrupt cancer cell division. Novocure’s commercialized product, Optune, is approved for the treatment of adult patients with glioblastoma (GBM).

With compassion and a positive attitude, Pritesh Shah, senior vice president of the Americas at Novocure, hopes to make a difference in the lives of cancer patients as well as their families with Optune. Read on to learn more about how Novocure is striving to get this treatment to even more people that could potentially benefit from it.

Patch: How long have you been doing business at Novocure?

Shah: I have been working at Novocure for over five years, having started in 2012, but have been in the oncology space for almost 17 years.

Patch: What attracted you to the line of work you’re in, and how did you get started?

Shah: I was attracted to this line of work both on a scientific and a humanitarian level. Scientifically, when I was in my pharmacy doctorate program I was attracted to the pharmacology of oncology treatments and the marriage of chemistry and biology. There are many different possibilities for treatments, and such innovation in the space, that I’ve never looked back since my post doctorate training. I also recognized that unfortunately most people either have been touched personally by cancer or know someone who has, and that oncology is a field where advances in treatment could impact countless people.

Patch: If you had to sum up your business mission to a stranger in five words, what would those words be?

Shah: My business mission in five words would be to make cancer a chronic disease.

Patch: What’s the biggest challenge or most difficult moment you’ve faced in your job?

Shah: One of my biggest challenges is being able to explain the physics behind Optune and how it works. Both patients and doctors are more familiar with, and hence more comfortable with, using treatments like chemotherapies. Optune has been proven to extend survival in a terrible disease where we have seen many failures in the past. So my company’s challenge is to get this life enhancing treatment to even more people that could potentially benefit from it.

Patch: What’s the most satisfying part of your job?

Shah: The most satisfying part of my job is hearing stories about how our product has positively impacted people’s lives, patients as well as caregivers and families. Our company has direct contact with our patients so having that ability to learn first hand about the difference we may make to a family is truly rewarding.

Patch: How would you say your business or organization distinguishes itself from the others?

Shah: We have created a business model in which the core of everything we do is to support the patient. Our nCompass support program provides ongoing assistance for patients as they use Optune. This includes in-person training and ongoing support from a Device Support Specialist (DSS) and a dedicated Care Coordinator who supports patients and caregivers with 24/7 technical support, lifestyle support, monthly touch points, and travel assistance. The program can also help navigate insurance coverage and financial assistance. This robust support give us more significant ties to the point of care and allows us to develop a relationship with our patients that is fairly unique to this industry.

Patch: What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given when it comes to success?

Shah: The best piece of advice I received was from a manager who has since become a mentor to me. He taught me to keep people at the center of the matter. He advised me on the importance of tenacity as a key ingredient of success. He emphasized that collaboration is a key component to success as different perspectives help you approach the problem at a different angle.

Patch: Are there any new projects or endeavors you’re working on that you’re extra excited about?

Shah: I’m excited that we recently had the final analysis of our pivotal Phase 3 trial published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) which included unprecedented five-year survival results for Optune. I believe that having these results published in such a prestigious medical journal will help us to continue to effectively educate the medical community about the benefits of Optune with temozolomide for the treatment of newly diagnosed GBM.

Patch: How can Patch readers learn more about your work and business?

Shah: You can learn more about the company by checking out our website or Twitter page. You can also learn about our product, Optune on the website or Facebook page.

Image Credit: Novocure