Photocure is a Norwegian pharmaceutical company focusing on the use of PDT (photodynamic therapy) to detect and cure diseases. Photocure was founded in 1993 by the Norwegian Radium Hospital and the first employee was hired in 1997. Today, the company operates in Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Finland and is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange (OSE).

Photocure’s strategy is to develop new and innovative products for unmet medical needs based on the company's patented photodynamic technology.

Photocure’s marketing strategy is to market and sell in the Nordic region and to sign licensing agreements for marketing and distribution outside this region. In December 2001, Galderma, one of the world's leading dermatology companies, licensed Metvix® and Aktilite® from Photocure. In January 2006, Photocure licensed Hexvix® to GE Healthcare, a global leader in imaging.

Photocure has three products with marketing authorisations:

• Metvix®, for the treatment of basal cell carcinoma (skin cancer), actinic keratosis (precancerous skin lesions) and Bowen’s disease
• Aktilite® CL16 and CL128, lamps intended for use in PDT in combination with Metvix®
• Hexvix®, for the detection of bladder cancer

Photocure is also developing photochemical internalisation (PCI), a technology for light-directed drug delivery. The PCI technology was developed to introduce therapeutic molecules in a biologically active form specifically into diseased cells. In 2000, PCI Biotech ASA was established as a subsidiary of Photocure to ensure an optimal development of the PCI technology.

Photocure relies on outsourcing when it comes to production and R&D, but always tightly controlled by internal project management.

Photocure is currently evaluating its patented photodynamic technology for other diseases such as acne, pre-malignant cervix lesions/HPV-infections and colon cancer (see pipeline). In addition, PCI Biotech is developing its photochemical internalisation technology for combination therapies and drug delivery, primarily in the oncology field.