PALO ALTO, Calif., Jan. 27 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Varian Medical Systems, Inc., , the world’s leading supplier of radiation oncology products, today announced that it has formed Varian Surgical Sciences, a new organization that initially will develop and market the company’s advanced X-ray imaging and treatment technologies for radiosurgical solutions in the estimated $250 million neurosurgery market.
“We will offer a clinically effective and more cost-efficient alternative to dedicated radiosurgical devices that are limited in functionality and flexibility,” said Lester Boeh, Vice President for Varian Medical Systems, who will manage the new organization. “We have advanced our technology to the point that it now can be used for non-invasive, painless, radiosurgical treatments of tumors and vascular malformations as well as certain functional and ‘inoperable’ conditions. We are seeing a rising need for these types of treatments.”
The new organization will market radiosurgical solutions built around the company’s new Trilogy linear accelerator and On-Board Imager device, introduced in 2004, which for the first time make it possible to treat small areas in the brain and other parts of the body rapidly, with powerful, precisely-placed beams. “This is the most powerful, precise, and versatile treatment machine ever developed,” Boeh said.
The Trilogy accelerator is already being used successfully for radiosurgical treatments at several centers. Treatments are usually delivered on an outpatient basis in just one or a few sessions. “The appeal of this technology to doctors and patients as well as insurers will be obvious, in the many cases that will benefit from it,” Boeh said.
The company is in the process of building a marketing and sales staff for the organization. Paul Rowland, a long-time veteran of Varian, will serve as Manager of Global Sales. Marc Buntaine, an expert in radiosurgical technologies and product development, will serve as Engineering and Marketing Manager.
Varian Surgical Sciences’ financial results, which are initially expected to be modest, will be included with the Oncology Systems business segment.
Varian Medical Systems, Inc. of Palo Alto, California is the world’s leading manufacturer of integrated cancer therapy systems, which are treating thousands of patients per day. The company is also a premier supplier of X-ray tubes and flat-panel digital subsystems for imaging in medical, scientific, and industrial applications. Varian Medical Systems employs approximately 3,300 people who are located at manufacturing sites in North America and Europe and in its 55 sales and support offices around the world. In its most recent fiscal year ended October 1, 2004, Varian Medical Systems reported sales of $1.2 billion. Additional information is available on the company’s investor relations web site at http://www.varian.com/.
Forward Looking Statements
Statements in this press release regarding future business, events, plans, objectives, expectations, estimates, and other similar matters, including, but not limited to, statements using the terms “will develop,” “will market,” “will offer,” “will be,” “will serve,” “can be used,” and “are seeing” constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements contained in this press release are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated, including, but not limited to, the risks described in the company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K and other reports filed from time to time by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These forward-looking statements represent the Company’s judgment as of the date of this press release. The Company assumes no obligation to update or revise these forward-looking statements because of new information, future events, or otherwise.
FOR INFORMATION CONTACT: Varian Medical Systems Spencer Sias, 650-424-5782
Varian Medical Systems, Inc.
CONTACT: Spencer Sias of Varian Medical Systems, Inc., +1-650-424-5782
Web site: http://www.varian.com/