Press
Releases
RAPID
Strand™ offers increased clinical confidence to
prostate cancer patients treated with brachytherapy
New York (October 1, 2003) — As the global leader
in minimally invasive prostate cancer treatment ONCURA™
is committed to the development of innovative products
that improve outcomes in patients treated with prostate
brachytherapy. The global launch of a new generation
of RAPID Strand will allow its benefits to be made available
to more patients. RAPID Strand can now be used by all
physicians regardless of what brachytherapy approach
they utilize. The original RAPID Strand contributed
to the initial growth of prostate brachytherapy during
the 1990’s and the new generation of RAPID Strand
will allow the assurance of long term clinical data
to be offered to a wider range of patients.
“I've used RAPID Strand with confidence since
1995. The availability of an enhanced and superior version
will now encourage many other physicians to offer this
option to their prostate brachytherapy patients",
said Dr Peter Grimm, Director of Clinical Research at
the Seattle Prostate Institute. He added, "This
product is ideally suited to the prostate brachytherapy
approach we developed and continue to use in Seattle".
ONCURA has a unique ability to offer physicians treating
localized prostate cancer the leading minimally invasive
treatment options; brachytherapy for patients with early
stage disease and cryotherapy for those with more advanced
localized disease. The combination of the leading products
in these two segments positions ONCURA as the leading
provider of minimally invasive options across the spectrum
of prostate cancer.
"Our commitment to the continued development of
prostate brachytherapy is exemplified by the launch
of RAPID Strand,” said James McGlone, CEO and
President of ONCURA. “It’s the culmination
of over two years extensive product development, during
which leading prostate brachytherapy experts were involved
in refining the product. This has ensured we delivered
a product that meets the needs of today’s prostate
brachytherapy programs.”
This new generation of RAPID Strand has been designed
to increase long axis rigidity and to be compatible
with all prostate brachytherapy approaches. As it has
the same basic composition as the original product it
continues to be supported by a unique portfolio of clinical
publications, including the data published by Lee and
colleagues at Wake Forest University that clearly shows
the use of RAPID Strand is associated with improved
radiation delivery. This improvement in radiation delivery
has been demonstrated to be associated with improvements
in long term survival.
ONCURA, an Amersham business, was created through the
merger of Amersham’s (LSE, NYSE, OSE: AHM) brachytherapy
business with Galil Medical Ltd’s urology business.
Headquartered in the United States, ONCURA operates
as an independent business of Amersham plc, with Galil
holding a minority position of 25 percent. ONCURA has
a major global presence in the treatment of prostate
cancer, combining the market leadership of Amersham
in brachytherapy with the rapidly growing area of cryotherapy.
# # #
ONCURA combines Amersham’s global leadership
in prostate brachytherapy with Galil’s innovative
cryotherapy technology. Brachytherapy involves the placement
of small radioactive seeds in the prostate, sparing
patients from the more invasive radical prostatectomy
surgery. RAPID Strand is an innovative seed product,
in which the seeds are contained within a bioabsorbale
suture material, allowing them to be more precisely
placed according to a plan prescribed by the treating
physician.
Cryotherapy is a rapidly growing minimally invasive
hyper-cooling treatment that enables rapid and controlled
destruction of cancerous tissue in which Oncura’s
third-generation system is the leader. Cryotherapy is
also an option for the treatment of kidney cancer.
CONTACT: Andrew Bright
(609) 514 6531
andrew.bright@oncura.com
Kristie Kuhl
(212) 508-9642
kkuhl@makovsky.com
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