Novocure

Novocure is a global oncology company whose stated mission is to extend survival in some of the most aggressive forms of cancer. Its central approach is Tumor Treating Fields (TTFields), a cancer therapy based on alternating electric fields applied at specific frequencies. The company’s founder, Professor Yoram Palti, began exploring this approach in 2000, drawing on his background in biophysics and earlier work on electric fields in nerve fibers. Novocure describes TTFields as a different approach to cancer therapy, intended to disrupt cancer-cell division while sparing healthy tissue. The company develops and commercializes its therapy and describes its operations as spanning North America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia. Its website identifies Optune Pax as a Novocure offering and reports U.S. FDA approval for treatment of locally advanced pancreatic cancer in combination with gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel. Novocure also presents its work through a patient-forward mission, emphasizing engagement with patients, caregivers and advocacy organizations. The evidence provided does not establish the company’s headquarters, current ownership, listed status or Chinese-language brand name beyond the supplied subject label.

Novocure traces its origins to Professor Yoram Palti’s work on Tumor Treating Fields. In 2000, Palti established a laboratory in his basement in Haifa, Israel, where he revisited his doctoral thesis on electric-field distribution in nerve fibers and investigated whether electric fields could be applied to cancer. The company’s account says this research developed into the hypothesis that alternating electric fields at specific frequencies can disrupt cancer-cell division, providing the basis for TTFields. The company’s history page identifies 2000 as the start of Novocure and describes the subsequent development of the approach from laboratory research toward patient treatment. In 2003, Novocure established a preclinical research center; the company says video evidence of alternating electric fields killing cancer cells supported the developing therapy. Also in 2003, it designed a method for delivering TTFields into a patient’s body using ceramic insulators. WFD Ventures provided financial backing, and its cofounder and managing director William Doyle joined Novocure’s board as executive chairman. In 2004, Novocure began its first clinical trial of TTFields with four patients in Switzerland. In 2006, it began a phase 1/phase 2 trial investigating the safety and efficacy of the therapy in glioblastoma multiforme. Novocure describes its later development in broad periods: 2014–2018 as a period of first successes and 2019 onward as a period of treating more patients. The supplied history excerpt does not provide the individual events in those later periods, so specific regulatory, commercial or corporate turning points cannot be established from the available evidence. The company currently describes itself as an international oncology business with more than 1,300 employees and operations in North America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia. Its present mission is to extend survival in aggressive cancers by developing and commercializing its therapy. The company also emphasizes patient advocacy partnerships and a patient-forward approach. Its homepage reports FDA approval of Optune Pax for locally advanced pancreatic cancer in combination with gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel.

• 2006

  Glioblastoma phase 1/phase 2 trial begins

  [2]History of Novocure | TTFields milestones since 2000novocure.com
• 2004

  First TTFields clinical trial begins

  [2]History of Novocure | TTFields milestones since 2000novocure.com
• 2003

  Preclinical research center established

  [2]History of Novocure | TTFields milestones since 2000novocure.com
• 2003

  First institutional investment and board appointment

  [2]History of Novocure | TTFields milestones since 2000novocure.com
• 2003

  TTFields delivery method designed

  [2]History of Novocure | TTFields milestones since 2000novocure.com
• 2000

  Palti begins basement laboratory research and Novocure’s story begins

  [2]History of Novocure | TTFields milestones since 2000novocure.com

A patient-forward global oncology company focused on developing and commercializing TTFields for aggressive cancers.

• Tumor Treating Fields (TTFields)

  Novocure’s cancer therapy based on alternating electric fields at specific frequencies.

• Optune Pax

  The company homepage reports U.S. FDA approval for use with gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel in locally advanced pancreatic cancer.

• 2026.10

  Reported2026.10.29

  Optune Pax receives approval in Japan[6]Optune Pax获日本批准finanznachrichten.de

  Optune Pax received approval from Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare for use in adult patients with unresectable locally advanced pancreatic cancer, in combination with gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel.

• 2026.10

  Reported2026.10.29

  Novocure and Verastem Oncology enter clinical-trial collaboration[6]Optune Pax获日本批准finanznachrichten.de

  Novocure entered into a clinical trial collaboration and supply agreement with Verastem Oncology to evaluate TTFields therapy with chemotherapy and Verastem's investigational VS-7375 for locally advanced pancreatic cancer.

• 2021.04

  Reported2021.04.29

  FDA approves Novocure application to initiate KEYNOTE-B36 trial[7]FDA批准Novocure启动KEYNOTE-B36试验的申请finanznachrichten.de

  Novocure reported that the U.S. FDA approved its investigational device exemption application to initiate the KEYNOTE-B36 phase 2 pilot trial studying TTFields with pembrolizumab in first-line non-small cell lung cancer.

• 2020.04.30

  Reported2020.04.30

  Novocure reports first-quarter 2020 results[8]Novocure公布2020年第一季度业绩finanznachrichten.de

  Novocure reported first-quarter 2020 financial results, including net revenues of $101.8 million, up 39 percent from the first quarter of 2019, and net income of $4.0 million.

Read more

1. 1Novocure | cancer therapy: Tumor Treating Fields (TTFields)novocure.com
2. 2History of Novocure | TTFields milestones since 2000novocure.com
3. 3History of Novocure | TTFields milestones since 2000novocure.com
4. 4Novocure Global Advocacynovocure.com
5. 5Novocure GmbHwikidata.org
6. 6Optune Pax获日本批准finanznachrichten.de
7. 7FDA批准Novocure启动KEYNOTE-B36试验的申请finanznachrichten.de
8. 8Novocure公布2020年第一季度业绩finanznachrichten.de
9. 9Novocure Reports Second Quarter 2020 Financial Results and Provides Company Updatefinanznachrichten.de
10. 10Novocure Reports Second Quarter 2021 Financial Results and Provides Company Updatefinanznachrichten.de
11. 11Novocure Reports Third Quarter 2020 Financial Results and Provides Company Updatefinanznachrichten.de
12. 12Novocure Reports Third Quarter 2021 Financial Results and Provides Company Updatefinanznachrichten.de