Lutetium-177 (¹⁷⁷Lu)-DOTATATE (trade name Lutathera), is a peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT) with radiolabeled somatostatin analogues (peptides).

Lutetium-177 (¹⁷⁷Lu)-DOTATATE treatment was approved last year by the USA FDA based on the NETTER-1 Study – Unmet need for long-term effective treatment of inoperable, gastro-entero-pancreatic neuroendocrine tumours (GEPNET).

See trial details at: NETTER-1 STUDY

Progress to get PRRT – Lutetium-177 (¹⁷⁷Lu)-DOTATATE treatment in Canada has been slow and limited to clinical trials in large centres.  CNETS Canada has been actively involved in supporting PRRT clinical trials In Canada but unfortunately clinical trials do not make the therapy widely available to all who need it.

The company who makes Lutathera has applied to Health Canada for approval with an expected Notice of Compliance in late July 2018.  Once approved, it will go through the pCODR process for funding considerations.  In 2017, CADTH expanded the mandate of its drug programs to include the review of radiopharmaceuticals.

CNETS Canada is registered as a patient advocacy organization with CADTH to provide patient advocacy group input into the pCODR processes. It is incredibly important that we do whatever we can to ensure that all NET patients have access to the best treatment options and participating in this process is one of the critical ways in which we do this.

If you have been or are being treated with Lutetium-177 (¹⁷⁷Lu)-DOTATATE for pancreatic or GI NETs, CNETS Canada would like to hear from you!

Input from patients is vital to the pCODR process as it ensures that patient and caregiver values are considered appropriately during a drug/radiopharmaceutical review.

Please consider providing us with important feedback by completing an anonymous survey by July 25^th, 2018.