Innovative Technology Could Transform Women's Health Across Europe
By Insightec Ltd, PRNEWednesday, April 21, 2010
Non-Invasive Treatment for Uterine Fibroids (Myoma) Given Special Recognition at the German Federal Chancellery
TIRAT CARMEL, Israel, April 22, 2010 - The ExAblate(R) 2000, a magnetic resonance guided focus ultrasound
system, received special recognition by being included in the 10th nationwide
Girls' Day in Germany. This event held on April 21st, 2010 at the German
Federal Chancellery, celebrates innovation, science and technology and
encourages school girls to consider science as a career. Chancellor Merkel,
accompanied by a group of 24 schoolgirls, visited the booth of Techniker
Krankenkasse (TK), a prominent German health insurance company, observed a
demonstration of the ExAblate system at work and heard an explanation by Dr.
Matthias Matzko of the Amper Kliniken AG in Dachau.
(Photo: www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100422/387687 )
Each year hundreds of thousands of women across Europe are diagnosed with
uterine fibroids and until now, many have had to resort to hysterectomies to
alleviate the symptoms of this often devastating condition.
"This technology has the potential to improve the health care of
thousands of women across Europe. It is important that women with uterine
fibroids now have a choice of a non-invasive treatment and furthermore may be
able to protect their future fertility", said Dr. Matthias Matzko of the
Amper Kliniken AG in Dachau. The Amper Kliniken is one of four treatment
centers in Germany that offer this innovative technology to women. The clinic
worked with Techniker Krankenkasse (TK) to become the first German health
insurance offering reimbursement for this new technique for the treatment of
uterine fibroids. The ExAblate treatment is administered at more than 30
leading hospitals across Europe.
"TK wants to advance reasonable and promising medical innovations, so
that our contract patients with uterine fibroids may already benefit from
this gentle treatment. Patients do not need to wait for years until this
procedure will be integrated in the basic coverage." explained Mr. Lütjohann,
the head of the myoma project treatment at TK.
"Amper Kliniken provides a great example of what can be achieved when a
treatment center works with the healthcare provider looking for ways to
improve patient care" said Dr. Kobi Vortman, President and Chief Executive
Officer of InSightec.
The ExAblate 2000 system destroys non-invasively the fibroids using high
intensity focused ultrasound waves to ablate the fibroids. The surrounding
tissue is spared, and the level of adverse events is very low compared to
other treatment alternatives.
ExAblate has CE and FDA approval for the treatment of Uterine Fibroids
and a CE approval for the treatment of bone metastases. MRgFUS technology is
being investigated in such areas as bone metastases, breast, liver, brain and
prostate cancer in clinical trials sponsored by InSightec around the world.
About Uterine Fibroids
Uterine fibroids are benign growths in the uterus that affect more than 30%
of women of childbearing age. Symptomatic women suffer from extensive and
prolonged menstrual bleeding, anaemia, pain, pressure and often infertility.
Existing treatment options include hysterectomy, myomectomy and uterine
artery embolization that are invasive and minimally invasive, involving
hospitalization and several weeks of recovery time. ExAblate is an outpatient
procedure and patients return home the same day and to work within one to two
days.
About ExAblate(R)
ExAblate is the first system to use the breakthrough MRgFUS technology
that combines MRI - to visualize the body anatomy, plan the treatment and
monitor treatment outcome in real time - and high intensity focused
ultrasound to thermally ablate tumors inside the body non-invasively. MR
thermometry, provided uniquely by the system, allows the physician to
control and adjust the treatment in real time to ensure that the targeted
tumor is fully treated and surrounding tissue is spared. Approved by the
U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2004 as a treatment for symptomatic
uterine fibroids, ExAblate has been recognized for its innovation and
potential to serve mankind and has been awarded the 2004 European Union's
Information Society Technologies grand prize, The Wall Street Journal's
2004 Technology Innovation Awards, Advanced Imaging's 2005 Solutions of
the Year, the Red Herring 100 Europe 2007 Award and currently one of the
World Economic Forum Technology Pioneer 2008.
About InSightec
InSightec Ltd. is a privately held company owned by Elbit Imaging (EI),
General Electric, MediTech Advisors, LLC and employees. It was founded in
1999 to develop the breakthrough MR guided Focused Ultrasound technology and
transform it into the next generation operating room. Headquartered near
Haifa, Israel, the company has over 160 employees and has invested in
research, development, and clinical investigations. Its U.S. headquarters are
located in Dallas, Texas. For more information, please go to:
www.insightec.com/
For further information please contact: InSightec Ltd. P.O. Box 2059 Tirat Carmel 39120, Israel Tel: +972-4-813-1313 Fax: +972-4-813-1322 Email: info@insightec.com Media contact Waggener Edstrom Worldwide-London Waggener Edstrom Worldwide - London Dr Jane Brearley Healthcare Practice EMEA T +44(0)20-7632-3897 jbrearley@waggeneredstrom.com
InSightec Ltd., P.O. Box 2059, Tirat Carmel 39120, Israel, Tel: +972-4-813-1313, Fax: +972-4-813-1322, Email: info at insightec.com; Media contact Waggener, Edstrom Worldwide-London, Waggener Edstrom Worldwide - London, Dr Jane Brearley, Healthcare Practice EMEA, T +44(0)20-7632-3897, jbrearley at waggeneredstrom.com
Tags: April 22, InSightec Ltd, Israel, Tirat carmel