LYON, France, June 28 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- EDAP TMS S.A. , the global leader in High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) treatment of prostate cancer, announces the appointment of Dr. John C. Rewcastle as International Medical Director. Dr Rewcastle’s duties will include significant involvement in the company’s accelerating US clinical trial as well as general education and research roles associated with the clinical program in North America.
“The goal of all prostate cancer therapies is to effectively treat the disease but not impact the patient’s quality of life,” said Dr. Rewcastle. “I believe that HIFU has the ability to meet this goal for the majority of patients diagnosed with localized prostate cancer. Further, the Ablatherm-HIFU device is ideally suited for the North American market, and I foresee rapid adoption following FDA approval.”
Dr. Rewcastle has a PhD in medical physics and is an Adjunct Professor of Radiology at the University of Calgary, Canada. He specializes in the development of minimally invasive technologies from both a basic science and clinical application perspective. In the past ten years he has published over 30 papers in peer reviewed medical journals, written several text book chapters and has made over 100 presentations at conferences around the world. He has also authored a series of papers and updates comparing HIFU technologies and their outcomes over time.
“EDAP and the Ablatherm are the clear global leader in HIFU as a prostate cancer therapy based both on the technology platform and the published clinical outcomes,” said Dr. Rewcastle. “The clinical data that has emerged from Europe in the past few years for patients treated with HIFU has been impressive. The outcomes are encouraging and accelerated adoption of this technology should result as the outcomes mature.”
Most recently he has worked with Endocare in the establishment of cryoablation as a treatment option for localized prostate cancer. In this role he designed and established a patient registry, participated in a randomized clinical trial comparing cryoablation to radiation therapy and worked with many physicians to organize and publish their outcomes.
He has been instrumental in creating the clinical story behind cryoablation which serves at the foundation of the reimbursement efforts. During his time at Endocare he also gained experience with the organization and management of a multicenter clinical trial to bring a new device through the FDA. He has also served as Chief Scientific Officer of Sanarus Medical, a medical technology company focused on women’s health.
“We are all very enthusiastic to welcome Dr. Rewcastle to the EDAP team and have him join our active Ablatherm-HIFU US program,” said Marc Oczachowski, CEO of EDAP. “Dr. Rewcastle will be actively supporting our US Ablatherm-HIFU clinical sites participating in our study. With a solid history and track record in successfully bringing new prostate therapies to market and securing reimbursement for these devices, Dr. Rewcastle provides EDAP the expertise to deliver the US program at an accelerated pace and make it a success.”
About EDAP TMS S.A.
EDAP TMS S.A. develops and markets Ablatherm, the most advanced and clinically proven choice for High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) treatment of localized prostate cancer. HIFU treatment is shown to be a minimally invasive and effective treatment option with a low occurrence of side effects. Ablatherm-HIFU is generally recommended for patients with localized prostate cancer (stages T1-T2) who are not candidates for surgery or who prefer an alternative option, or for patients who failed radiotherapy treatment. The company is also developing this technology for the potential treatment of certain other types of tumors. EDAP TMS S.A. also produces and commercializes medical equipment for treatment of urinary tract stones using Extra-corporeal Shockwave Lithotripsy (ESWL).
For more information on the Company, contact Magnolia Investor Relations at (972) 801-4900, the Corporate Investor Relations Dept at +33 (0)4 78 26 40 46 or see the Company’s Web sites at http://www.edap-tms.com and http://www.hifu-planet.com.
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In addition to historical information, this press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. These include statements regarding the Company’s growth and expansion plans. Such statements are based on management’s current expectations and are subject to a number of uncertainties and risks that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in these forward-looking statements. Factors that may cause such a difference include, but are not limited to, those described in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Ablatherm-HIFU treatment is in clinical trials but not yet FDA approved or marketed in the United States.
CONTACT: EDAP TMS S.A. Magnolia Investor Relations
Blandine Confort Matt Kreps +33 4 78 26 40 46 972 801 4900
EDAP TMS S.A.
CONTACT: Blandine Confort of EDAP TMS S.A., +33 4 78 26 40 46; or MattKreps of Magnolia Investor Relations, +1-972-801-4900, for EDAP TMS S.A.
