Healthcare Industry News: iodine
News Release - July 20, 2007
IsoRay Medical, Inc. Introduces Branding of Cesium-131 as Proxcelan(TM) for Use in Prostate Cancer Brachytherapy
Branding of Company's Existing Proprietary Cesium-131 Brachytherapy Seeds to be Launched at American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) Conference in Minneapolis, July 22-26RICHLAND, Wash.--(HSMN NewsFeed)--IsoRay Medical, Inc. begins the brand introduction of its existing proprietary Cesium-131 prostate cancer brachytherapy seeds at the 26th annual American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) conference in Minneapolis, MN, July 22-26.
Under the name Proxcelan(TM), IsoRay Medical, Inc. will expand the marketing of its Cesium-131 seeds used in low dose radiation (LDR) brachytherapy for prostate cancer. The fast-acting, high energy medical isotope has demonstrated strong clinical results and is being heralded as the first leap forward in seed brachytherapy in 20 years.
Proxcelan(TM) is a product of IsoRay Medical(TM), Inc. ("IsoRay") (AMEX: ISR ), an innovative medical technology company based in Richland, WA.
"The roll out of the Proxcelan brand represents the next step in building awareness with prostate cancer patients and the medical community, both in the U.S. and abroad," said IsoRay Medical Chairman and CEO Roger Girard. "With a high acceptance of seed brachytherapy as a treatment option, the aging of the 'Baby Boomer' generation and international expansion opportunities, brand awareness is critical in an increasingly patient-driven environment."
Prostate seed brachytherapy is a common procedure in which seeds containing isotopes emitting low-dose radiation are implanted in and around a cancerous tumor to kill cancer cells. Approximately 60,000 procedures are conducted each year in the United States.
Girard said the launch of the Proxcelan brand will likely begin the development of a "family" of brands reflecting expanded medical applications of Cesium-131 as well as the development and marketing of other medical isotopes by the company. Although IsoRay Medical's Proxcelan(TM) seeds have been used exclusively for the treatment of prostate cancer to date, the technology received Food and Drug Administration 510(k) clearance in March 2003 for the treatment of malignant disease (e.g., head and neck, brain, breast, prostate, etc.).
"I believe that Proxcelan represents one of the biggest advancements to come along in many years for prostate brachytherapy," said Bradley R. Prestidge, MD, President/CEO/Medical Director of the Texas Cancer Clinic in San Antonio, Texas.
A multi-institutional trial, with Dr. Prestidge as principal investigator, concluded earlier this year that low dose (LDR) brachytherapy treatment using Cesium-131 for prostate cancer "...has come into widespread use; and the clinical results of this trial are mature enough to be of immediate, important, practical use to practitioners."
Seed brachytherapy procedures involve the use of special needles to implant the seeds, which are smaller than a grain of rice, using ultrasound guidance. The implant procedure is fast and convenient and the patient typically returns to normal daily activities within two to three days.
Proxcelan(TM) offers advantages over other isotopes. Available in leading facilities across the United States, it delivers its therapeutic radiation faster than other isotope seeds -- Palladium-103 and iodine-125 -- and at a reduced risk to patients when compared to surgery. Due to its unique characteristics, Proxcelan(TM) patients receive a higher initial dosage of radiation that attacks and kills cancer cells quickly. Its short half-life means that radiation leaves the body sooner than iodine-125 and Palladium-103. (1)
The centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services have established a specific reimbursement code for Proxcelan(TM) seeds, and insurance companies also cover the cost of the brachytherapy procedure -- a common and widely accepted treatment option.
For more information on the Proxcelan(TM) cancer treatment breakthrough, visit www.cesium131.com or www.isoray.com.
FOOTNOTE:
(1) Armpilia CI, Dale RG, Coles IP et al. The Determination of Radiobiologically Optimized Half-lives for Radionuclides Used in Permanent Brachytherapy Implants. Int. J. Radiation Oncology Biol. Phys. 2003; 55 (2): 378-385.
About IsoRay
IsoRay, Inc., through its subsidiary, IsoRay Medical (TM), Inc., is the sole producer of the Proxcelan(TM) with Cesium-131 brachytherapy seed, used to treat prostate and other cancers. The Cesium-131 seed offers a significantly shorter half-life than the two other isotopes commonly used for brachytherapy, which results in a substantially faster delivery of therapeutic radiation, lower probability of cancer cell survival and reduction of the longevity of common brachytherapy side effects. IsoRay is based in Richland, Washington. More information is available about IsoRay at www.isoray.com.
Safe Harbor Statement
Statements in this news release about IsoRay's future expectations, including: the advantages of our Proxcelan(TM) with Cesium-131 seed, future production capabilities, development of protocols for the use of our Proxcelan(TM) with Cesium-131 seed to treat cancers other than prostate cancer, the level of market share our seed may attain, and all other statements in this release, other than historical facts, are forward-looking statements. It is important to note that actual results and ultimate corporate actions could differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements based on such factors as physician acceptance, training and use of our products, our ability to successfully manufacture, market and sell our products, our ability to manufacture our products in sufficient quantities to meet demand within required delivery time periods while meeting our quality control standards, and our ability to enforce our intellectual property rights, and other risks detailed from time to time in IsoRay's reports filed with the SEC.
Source: IsoRay
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