LYON, France, Feb. 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- EDAP TMS S.A. , is pleased to officially announce an increase of its geographical presence in Japan with the January opening of a new office in the city of Sapporo, located in northern Japan.
This new step confirms the company's escalating presence in Asia with established offices in Japan, Malaysia, and Korea and clearly opens new doors for a greater coverage of the Japanese territory. Marc Abela, CEO of the company's Japanese subsidiary, confirmed, "Our goal in Japan is to continue to establish a robust distribution network throughout the country. This network helps us provide the right foundation for our business in Japan so as to constantly offer the latest medical devices and technologies to Japanese hospitals."
EDAP is also pleased to announce the appointment of Julien Laronze to the position of Vice-President within the Japanese subsidiary. In this new role, Julien Laronze will strengthen the existing management team currently in Japan and assist with the approval process for new lines of products in the future. EDAP has today an installed base of more than 200 urology devices in Japan and maintains a diversified product portfolio of minimally invasive medical devices in additional Asian countries.
"Julien brings a significant combination of management skills and sales experience, which will greatly enhance our strategic development and implementation capabilities in Japan," said Marc Abela. Julien Laronze was previously the Sales Director at EDAP's headquarters with a successful sales record. Prior to joining the EDAP-TMS group, he held senior management positions for Alser (El-Fi Group). He graduated in International Management from EPSCI-ESSEC (Cergy-France) and holds a Bachelor's in International Finance from the University of Plymouth, United Kingdom.
Upon his nomination, Julien Laronze commented, "EDAP remains at the forefront of many minimally invasive technologies, and I am pleased to be assigned to making our technology and distribution capability an international success."
Hugues de Bantel, CEO of EDAP-TMS S.A., commented: "With our strengthened Japanese base we are now structured to develop our business in Japan and Asia by integrating additional products into our catalog. We plan to leverage our established distribution network to deliver additional medical technologies the market demands. EDAP's reputation as a reliable service oriented provider has opened the door to deliver other minimally invasive solutions furthering our growth opportunities beyond markets we already serve."
About EDAP TMS S.A.
EDAP TMS S.A. develops and markets Ablatherm-HIFU, 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. 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 the Investor Relations Dept. by phone at +33 (0)4 78 26 40 46 or see the Company's Web site at: http://www.edap-tms.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.
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 +1 972 458 8000
EDAP TMS S.A.CONTACT: Hugues de Bantel, 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, for EDAP TMS S.A.
Web site: http://www.edap-tms.com/
