BASEL, Switzerland, Sept. 16, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Myovant Sciences (NYSE: MYOV) today announced an educational campaign to inspire prostate cancer patients to speak up and seek support through authentic conversations, along with the sponsorship of educational opportunities for patients, providers, and caregivers during Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. Studies have repeatedly shown that many patients lack the resources and willingness to speak openly about their condition, and Prostate Cancer Awareness month presents the opportunity to address these findings through increased awareness and education.
Through the power of storytelling, Myovant launched “Myovant Stories” on Myovant.com to shine a light on stigma, science and community through videos, articles, and resources for patients and healthcare professionals. It will play host to the new video series “Men With Prostate Cancer Find Support” which illustrates how valuable peer to peer support can be. The videos also link to resources that provide listings of third-party directories for prostate cancer support groups.
"Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in men worldwide, but patients often find it difficult to discuss their disease,” said Dave Marek, Chief Executive Officer of Myovant Sciences, Inc. “We believe this new initiative can encourage men with prostate cancer to be more vocal and empower them throughout their care journey.”
It is estimated that one in eight men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during their lifetime.1 Additionally, one in three men diagnosed with prostate cancer are at risk for depression or anxiety.2 To help respond to these conditions, “Men with Prostate Cancer Find Support” reinforces the value of support by featuring men recruited from support groups sharing their experiences in a free-flowing conversation captured on video.
“My wife and I attended support groups early on and that was instrumental because it helped us each understand what we were facing,” said Dan Leonard of California, patient volunteer in the Myovant video series. “Support is crucial for getting through this, so count me in for anything I can do to encourage men and their loved ones, who are faced with this challenge, to seek support.”
Myovant is partnering with key organizations across prostate cancer to advance care for men with this disease. In working to address barriers to care and stigma, Myovant is sponsoring the 18th Annual African American Prostate Cancer Disparity Summit series from Prostate Health Education Network (PHEN) and a webinar from the Prostate Cancer Impact Alliance (PCIA) to address the needs of men who have sex with men.
Continuing with patient education throughout the year, Myovant is sponsoring the Urology Care Foundation, the official foundation of the American Urological Association, and its distribution of a new Prostate Cancer Health Playbook, a patient guide to help educate men and their families to navigate their prostate health.
Myovant wishes to acknowledge our advocacy partners, and health care providers for their commitment to helping patients. We would like to extend our sincere gratitude to the men who shared their stories in this video series to help other prostate cancer patients find needed support. Myovant’s video series “Men With Prostate Cancer Find Support” will be published on myovant.com and via social media.
ABOUT PROSTATE CANCER
Worldwide, prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in men and the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths.3 The American Cancer Society estimates that there will be about 268,000 new cases of prostate cancer in 2022.4
Prostate cancer is considered advanced when it has spread or come back after initial treatment and may include biochemical recurrence (rising prostate-specific antigen in the absence of metastatic disease on imaging), locally advanced disease, or metastatic disease. Front-line medical therapy for advanced prostate cancer typically involves androgen deprivation therapy, which reduces testosterone to very low levels, commonly referred to as castrate levels (< 50 ng/dL). Luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) receptor agonists, such as leuprolide acetate, are depot injections and the current standard of care for androgen deprivation therapy. However, LHRH receptor agonists may be associated with mechanism-of-action limitations, including the potentially detrimental initial surge in testosterone levels that can exacerbate clinical symptoms, which is known as clinical or hormonal flare, and delayed testosterone recovery after the drug is discontinued.5
ABOUT MYOVANT SCIENCES
Myovant Sciences aspires to redefine care for women and for men through purpose-driven science, empowering medicines, and transformative advocacy. Founded in 2016, Myovant has executed five successful Phase 3 clinical trials across oncology and women’s health leading to three regulatory approvals by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for men with advanced prostate cancer, women with heavy menstrual bleeding associated with uterine fibroids, and premenopausal women with moderate to severe pain associated with endometriosis, respectively. Myovant also has received regulatory approvals by the European Commission (EC) and the United Kingdom Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) for women with symptomatic uterine fibroids and for men with advanced hormone-sensitive prostate cancer. Myovant has a supplemental New Drug Application under review with the FDA for updates to the United States Prescribing Information (USPI) based on safety and efficacy data from the Phase 3 LIBERTY randomized withdrawal study (RWS) of MYFEMBREE in premenopausal women with heavy menstrual bleeding due to uterine fibroids for up to two years. Myovant also is conducting a Phase 3 study to evaluate the prevention of pregnancy in women with uterine fibroids or endometriosis. Myovant also is developing MVT-602, an investigational oligopeptide kisspeptin-1 receptor agonist, which has completed a Phase 2a study for female infertility as part of assisted reproduction. Sumitovant Biopharma, Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Sumitomo Pharma Co., Ltd., is Myovant’s majority shareholder. For more information, please visit www.myovant.com. Follow @Myovant on Twitter and LinkedIn.
Myovant Sciences Contacts
Investor Contact:
Uneek Mehra
Chief Financial and Business Officer
Myovant Sciences, Inc.
investors@myovant.com
Media Contact:
Noelle Cloud Dugan
Vice President, Corporate Communications
Myovant Sciences, Inc.
media@myovant.com
1 Siegel RL, Miller KD, Fuchs HE, Jemal A. Cancer Statistics, 2022. CA Cancer J Clin. 2022 Jan;72(1):7-33. doi: 10.3322/caac.21708. Epub 2022 Jan 12. PMID: 35020204.
2 Downing, et al. The Lancet Oncology. 2019.
3 Leslie SW, et al. Prostate Cancer. StatPearls Publishing 2022.
4 Siegel RL, Miller KD, et al. CA Cancer J Clin. 2022 Epub 2022
5 Thompson IM. Flare Associated with LHRH-Agonist Therapy. Rev Urol. 2001;3 Suppl 3(Suppl 3):S10-4.
A video accompanying this announcement is available at: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/cadb4692-28e4-429d-b132-a2e087a0ba9c
