MDS Nordion Launches Improved TheraSphere(R) Administration System for Physicians
09 Marzo 2009 - 1:00PM
PR Newswire (US)
Enhancements Provide Safer, Faster, and Easier Treatments OTTAWA,
March 9 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- MDS Nordion, a leading provider
of medical isotopes and radiopharmaceuticals, today announced the
launch of an improved administration system for TheraSphere(R),
Yttrium-90 Microsphere (Y-90), a targeted internal radiation
therapy for patients with inoperable, primary liver cancer. The
enhancements to the administration system allow for safer, faster,
and more efficient administration of TheraSphere(R), providing
better treatment delivery for patients. The simplified design of
the administration system makes TheraSphere(R) even easier to use
for physicians. It has fewer parts, is easier to assemble, requires
less handling, and reduces set-up time for physicians by
approximately 50 per cent. "As a result of working closely with our
physicians, we have taken their feedback and incorporated it into
the improved administration system," said MDS Nordion President
Steve West. "Through a systematic approach, we've simplified the
treatment process by reducing the number of connections required by
40 per cent." The disposable tubing and tubing connections have
been re-designed to minimize barriers and optimize the fluid
pathway which is significant for delivery of small particle
technology. These improvements optimize dose delivery, providing
enhanced safety and ease of use for both medical staff and
patients. "Overall, MDS Nordion incorporated smart enhancements to
facilitate the safe and effective delivery of TheraSphere(R)
including optimizing access to the dose vial and improving the
overall internal flow of the therapy to the affected cells," said
Dr. David Wood, Chief of Interventional Radiology, Banner Good
Samaritan Medical Center, Phoenix, Arizona. "These upgrades make
the administration of TheraSphere(R) to our patients safer and
easier." Dr. May Wahab, Associate Professor of Radiation Oncology,
Department of Radiation Oncology, Sylvester Cancer Center, Miller
School of Medicine at University of Miami Hospital said that
TheraSphere(R) is the result of cutting-edge, advanced technology
allowing incorporation of radiation-emitting Yttrium into glass
microbeads. This advanced technology is providing physicians with
an array of new tools with which to treat cancers. "The
improvements made to the administration system will make delivering
TheraSphere(R) much easier and far more efficient and is an
exciting development (for the medical community)," noted Dr. Wahab.
About Primary Liver Cancer Primary liver cancer is on the rise.
Statistics from the American Cancer Society for 2007, the latest
year for which statistics are available, predicted the diagnosis of
more than 19,000 new cases of primary liver cancers in the United
States with over 16,000 deaths. These numbers are expected to
continue to grow in the coming years. About TheraSphere(R)
TheraSphere(R) is a low toxicity, liver cancer therapy which
consists of millions of micro-glass beads containing radioactive
yttrium-90. The product is injected by physicians into the main
artery of the patient's liver through a catheter which allows the
treatment to be delivered directly to the tumour via blood vessels.
Unlike chemotherapy, it has fewer side effects. Patients rarely
experience the nausea and vomiting usually associated with
high-dose, systemic chemotherapies. The TheraSphere(R) treatment
can generally be administered on an outpatient basis and does not
usually require an overnight hospital stay. TheraSphere(R), 100%
reimbursed by Medicare and many commercial health insurers, is
approved in the U.S. as a Humanitarian Device for the treatment of
hepatocellular carcinoma, also referred to as primary liver cancer,
and is now approved for patients who also have partial or branch
portal vein thrombosis and who are identified as suitable
candidates by their physicians. In 2008, MDS Nordion's
TheraSphere(R) business grew by more than 50 per cent, which
included the establishment of 18 new treatment centres in North
America, bringing the total to over 70 in the U.S. For more
information on TheraSphere(R), go to
http://www.therasphere(r).com/. Alternatively, for those who attend
the Society of Interventional Radiology (SIR) Trade Show on March
7-12, 2009 in San Diego, you are invited to visit us at Booth 2430
to receive a hands-on demonstration of the improved TheraSphere(R)
administration system. About MDS Nordion MDS Nordion, a business
unit of MDS Inc., is a global leader in providing medical isotopes
for molecular and diagnostic imaging, radiotherapeutics and
sterilization technologies for medical products that benefit the
lives of millions of people in more than 50 countries around the
world. MDS Nordion products and services are used on a daily basis
by pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, medical-device
manufacturers, hospitals, clinics and research laboratories. Find
out more at http://www.mdsnordion.com/ About MDS MDS Inc. (TSX:
MDS; NYSE: MDZ) is a global life sciences company that provides
market-leading products and services that our customers need for
the development of drugs, and the diagnosis and treatment of
disease. We are a leading global provider of pharmaceutical
contract research, medical isotopes for molecular imaging,
radiotherapeutics, and analytical instruments. MDS has more than
5,000 highly skilled people in 29 countries. Find out more at
http://www.mdsinc.com/ or by calling 1-888-MDS-7222, 24 hours a
day. DATASOURCE: MDS Inc. CONTACT: MEDIA: Shelley Maclean, (613)
592-3400, ext. 2414, ; INVESTORS: Kim Lee, (416) 213-4721,
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