On March 16, 2026 Photocure ASA (OSE: PHO), the Bladder Cancer Company, reported two "trial in progress" presentations at the 2026 European Association of Urology congress (EAU) in London, UK. These trials investigate different stages of the diagnostic pathway, addressing data gaps to improve individual patient care and outcomes.
Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:
Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing
Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!
The EAU annual meeting is one of the largest international meetings in the global urology calendar, showcasing the latest and most relevant clinical and scientific advancements in this area of patient care.
Photocure participated with its Hexvix product, designed for better detection and resection of bladder tumors. As in past sessions and as a service to non-attending urologists, Photocure will make 2026 EAU bladder cancer session highlights available to healthcare professionals after the event, by means of video interviews with the presenters of these sessions at the Photocure booth. This successful initiative is once again supported by two of the leading names in Bladder Cancer in Europe, Prof. M. Rouprêt, APHP, Sorbonne University Paris, France and Prof. P. Gontero, Division of Urology, University of Studies of Torino, Italy.
In addition to this educational activity, the EAU scientific program prominently featured Photocure’s Hexvix product and/or the blue light cystoscopy procedure in which it is used. In particular, two notable bladder cancer "trial in progress" presentations from Monday, March 16, 2026 were:
A0648: VI-RADS & PDD-TURBT to avoid Second-look and Resection (Re-TURBT) in Non-Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancers: The CUT-less Randomized Clinical Trial
F. Del Giudice, Rome (IT)
The CUT-less trial investigates whether second-look TURB can be safely omitted by combining preoperative staging accuracy of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) using the Vesical Imaging-Reporting and Data System (VI-RADS) with enhanced cystoscopy using blue-light-TURB
The primary endpoint of this randomized, single-center, non-inferiority trial is short-term bladder cancer recurrence. Patients eligible for second-look resection who are randomized to BL-TURB and demonstrate a very-low to low likelihood of muscle-invasive disease on MRI will omit the second-look resection, whereas patients randomized to WL-TURB will undergo the standard second-look resection. Over 3 years, 327 patients with intermediate- or high-risk NMIBCs* who are candidates for second-look TURBT will be enrolled. Results will also include building a health economic lifetime model, looking at cost-utility per quality-adjusted life year gained using 2-year clinical outcomes.
The CUT-less trial aims to generate evidence supporting a paradigm shift towards a more personalized, socially, and economically sustainable updated NMIBC therapeutic pathway across the European Union and potentially worldwide.
ClinicalTrial.gov identifier (ID): NCT05962541 Read more: View Source
A0649: Trial in progress: Evaluation of urinary minimal residual disease and outcomes in high-risk non-muscle invasive bladder cancer surveilled with blue light compared to white light cystoscopy
A.K. Smith, Bethesda (US)
Urinary comprehensive genomic profiling offers a non-invasive method to assess the presence or extent of bladder cancer. The urinary biomarker UroAmp (Convergent Genomics) detects minimal residual disease (MRD). By enhancing tumor margin visualization, Blue Light Cystoscopy (BLC) may improve TURBT (transurethral resection of bladder tumors) completeness. This randomized controlled trial (RCT) enrolls high-risk NMIBC patients receiving either standard of care white light or Blue Light Cystoscopy. UroAmp will be used to evaluate completeness of resection for each modality.
The study will enroll 200 subjects undergoing TURBT for suspected high risk NMIBC randomized 1:1 to WLC or BLC-enhanced cohorts. Urinary MRD analyses will be conducted at all major decision points during treatment. The primary endpoint is the post-TURBT difference in MRD scores between the BLC and WLC arms. Secondary clinical outcomes include recurrence-free survival at 12 and 24 months.
Clinical Trial Registry number is NCT06525571. Read more: View Source
"Photocure’s support for these trials underscores our commitment to the transformation toward more personalized, data-driven care in uro-oncology, enabling better clinical outcomes and supporting the shift toward precision medicine. Minimally invasive procedures are on the rise and these trials address data gaps in the care pathway and in the impact of complete TURBTs using BLC to reduce tumor burden on clinical outcomes for high-risk patients. At Photocure, we strongly believe that the clinical utility of different precision diagnostic techniques can be optimized by using them in combination and in sequence throughout the patient pathway to inform physician decision-making and provide value for patients and healthcare. The same is true for their use in clinical trials," said Anders Neijber, Chief Medical Officer of Photocure.
During the EAU Congress on March 13, 2026, Photocure, in collaboration with medac, hosted a well-attended scientific event titled "Optimising Care in Bladder Cancer." The session was moderated by Mr. John McGrath (Consultant Urological Surgeon North Bristol Trust). The program brought together leading clinicians to discuss current challenges and advances in bladder cancer management, with a focus on improving patient pathways, in particular outcomes for women. This collaboration between Photocure and medac reflects a shared commitment to advancing evidence-based practice and supporting healthcare professionals in delivering high-quality, patient-centered bladder cancer care.
(Press release, PhotoCure, MAR 16, 2026, View Source [SID1234663581])