LYON, France, June 23 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- EDAP TMS S.A. the global leader in High Intensity Focused Ultrasound treatment of prostate cancer announces the launch of the first HIFU treatment centers in Poland. Ablatherm-HIFU, the most clinically proven and technologically advanced HIFU technology for localized prostate cancer, will be available on the company's innovative Revenue Per Procedure (RPP) basis at two centers starting treatments next week with additional centers to launch in the future.
EDAP is addressing the Polish market with the support of a national medical distributor with excellent connections to the country's hospital system. In conjunction with the distributor, EDAP is supporting several initiatives to educate medical administrators and doctors on both the benefits of Ablatherm-HIFU and the financial attractiveness of the company's capital- free RPP program, which offers hospitals near-immediate access to the technology without significant capital expense. When combined with EDAP's one-of-a-kind training program, which allows the doctor to achieve proficiency and confidence on the Ablatherm-HIFU in as little as 10 patient sessions, a hospital's investment is extremely minimal compared to launching traditional treatment modalities.
"We were immediately impressed by the attractiveness of this treatment modality and the clinical data EDAP has accumulated showing reproducible treatment success and low side effects," said Pr. Zbigniew Wolski, from Bydgoszcz University Hospital. "After a thorough review of the HIFU data, we determined that Ablatherm-HIFU was a therapy we had to offer our patients based on the quality of life benefits and strong efficacy already demonstrated in peer reviewed literature. The training program pairing new users with experienced professionals gave us strong confidence and quickly made us proficient and ready to deliver these same outcomes to our patients. I was very impressed with the clinical professionalism EDAP demonstrated as well as their commitment to offering the best standards of care to the patient."
In support of this launch, EDAP is actively participating in the Polish Association of Urology meeting in Poznan from June 22 to 24, 2006. An Ablatherm device is on display at the booth. Attendance at the exhibit booth is already strong with support on site from both the EDAP sales force and the company's local distributor to manage physician inquiries about Ablatherm-HIFU and adding additional sites throughout Poland wishing to offer Ablatherm-HIFU care.
The Clinic of General, Oncologic and Pediatric Urology at the University Hospital in Bydgoszcz where the Chief of the Urology Clinic is Pr. Zbigniew Wolski and the Medical University in Lodz Second Urology Clinic Kopernik District Hospital where the Chief of the Urology Clinic is Pr. Waldemar Rozanski will be the first sites to offer HIFU care in Poland. As with other centers around the world, these sites and others were drawn to Ablatherm's best-in-class technology and unparalleled clinical data demonstrating it as a successful and attractive treatment for localized prostate cancer.
"After reviewing the clinical data demonstrating the success of EDAP's Ablatherm-HIFU unit and training alongside experienced users we are very excited to offer a minimally invasive therapy choice giving our patients a very good treatment for their cancer while preserving quality of life through a rapid recovery and very low side effects as compared to traditional therapies," said Pr. Wolski. "But just as important to our patients today as the successful treatment of the cancer, Ablatherm-HIFU is clearly proven to help preserve the patient's quality of life. Treatment is quick, adaptable and almost pain free for the patient. Recovery is just a matter of days and side effects are very low compared to the risks associated with other choices. We believe Ablatherm-HIFU will be a significant treatment choice of the future."
"We are very excited to launch Ablatherm-HIFU in Poland and are already beginning marketing efforts to make both doctors and patients aware of this effective and highly attractive treatment choice now available to Polish men suffering from localized prostate cancer," said Hugues de Bantel, CEO of EDAP. "Ablatherm-HIFU offers men a choice for effective treatment of the cancer without the significant side effect risks and recovery issues associated with traditional therapies, which many patients wish to avoid. As in other countries throughout Europe, we are supporting our physician and hospital partners with strong marketing efforts through many channels to create awareness of Ablatherm-HIFU as a choice for these men and increase treatments in the future. The selection of Ablatherm as the modality of choice for HIFU is a clear and strong endorsement of not only the clinical attractiveness of the device with its specialized protocols, safety features and medical data from the leading centers in Europe, but also EDAP's commitment to approach both doctors and patients with accurate and clinically driven education programs helping them make an informed decision based on offering the best standard of care for each case of prostate cancer."
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 patients who failed radiotherapy treatment. The company is also developing this technology for the 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 Halliburton Investor Relations at (972) 458-8000, 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 .
This press release contains, in addition to historical information, 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 the 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. Hugues de Bantel - Philippe Chauveau Blandine Confort +33 4 78 26 40 46 Halliburton Investor Relations Matt Kreps - Geralyn DeBusk 972 458 8000
EDAP TMS S.A.CONTACT: Hugues de Bantel or Philippe Chauveau or Blandine Confort, all ofEDAP TMS S.A., +33-4-78-26-40-46; or Matt Kreps or Geralyn DeBusk, both ofHalliburton Investor Relations, +1-972-458-8000, both for EDAP TMS S.A.
