ATLANTA, May 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Endocare, Inc. , an innovative medical device company focused on the development of minimally invasive technologies for tissue and tumor ablation, announced today that 26 clinical studies and scientific papers related to cryoablation technology were presented at the 2006 Annual Meeting of the American Urological Association (AUA) held in Atlanta, Georgia, May 20-25 at the Georgia World Conference Center.
The data, presented by doctors from such leading cancer institutions as the Mayo Clinic, The Cleveland Clinic, M.D. Anderson, Johns Hopkins, Columbia Presbyterian and Memorial Sloan-Kettering spanned the use of cryoablation for the primary treatment of prostate cancer, the treatment of prostate cancer for those whose cancer has returned following radiation therapy (salvage therapy), and the treatment of renal cancer.
In the area of prostate cancer treatment, the papers were highlighted by an 8-year study that involved using cryotherapy as a primary, or first-line, treatment on 182 men with prostate cancer with positive outcomes both in terms of effectiveness and morbidity (side-effects). After 8 years, survival rate was 100 percent, while 86 percent of follow-up biopsies showed no evidence of disease and ASTRO biochemical recurrence-free survival rate was 81 percent. This study also showed very few side effects, including only 2.2 percent incontinence, 2.3 percent rectal pain and no reported incidents of fistula following the procedure.
Additionally, in a marked increase over prior years, a total of 21 papers and abstracts related to the treatment of renal conditions using cryoablation were presented at the AUA Meeting. Combined, these studies involved more than 1,700 procedures and more than 100 physician/authors from leading healthcare institutions across the U.S. and abroad. The studies included multiple modalities including open surgery, and minimally invasive techniques such as laparoscopic and MRI-guided percutaneous application.
More information including study authors, abstracts and summaries of the data can be accessed via a search engine on the AUA conference website at: http://abstractsonline.com/viewer/?mkey=%7B3BE6B2AA%2DEB7F%2D43F6%2D855A%2D3E8 F189DEDDB%7D
Endocare Chairman and CEO Craig T. Davenport stated, “We were, again, extremely pleased by the expanded clinical presence of cryoablation at this year’s annual meeting of the AUA. The quality and quantity of studies is a tribute to the support and enthusiasm of the many physicians and institutions, some we know well and others who have taken the initiative to perform this important work on their own. We anticipate that physician awareness and interest in cryoablation will continue to increase as we work to promote the procedure and as physicians prove its clinical effectiveness over time.”
About Endocare
Endocare, Inc. -- www.endocare.com -- is an innovative medical device company focused on the development of minimally invasive technologies for tissue and tumor ablation. Endocare has initially concentrated on developing technologies for the treatment of prostate cancer and believes that its proprietary technologies have broad applications across a number of markets, including the ablation of tumors in the kidney, lung and liver.
Statements contained in this release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Among the important factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, those discussed in “Risks Related to Our Business” or “Risk Factors” in the Company’s Forms 10-K, Forms 10-Q, and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Such risk factors include, but are not limited to: uncertainty relating to ongoing investigations by governmental agencies; uncertainty regarding the Company’s liquidity and ability to reach and maintain profitability; the risk that the Company may be required to make state and local tax payments that exceed the Company’s settlement estimates; uncertainty regarding the Company’s re-listing on a national stock exchange; uncertainty regarding the effects of effectuating the Company’s proposed reverse stock split, in particular the possibility that the market may react negatively to the Company’s effectuation of a reverse stock split; uncertainty regarding market acceptance of the Company’s products; uncertainty of product development and the associated risks related to clinical trials; uncertainty relating to third party reimbursement; uncertainty regarding the ability to convince health care professionals and third party payers of the medical and economic benefits of the Company’s products; the Company’s limited sales, marketing and manufacturing experience; uncertainty regarding the ability to attract and retain key personnel; uncertainty regarding the ability to secure and protect intellectual property rights relating to the Company’s technology; the rapid pace of technological change in the Company’s industry; and fluctuations in the Company’s order levels. The actual results that the Company achieves may differ materially from any forward-looking statements due to such risks and uncertainties. The Company undertakes no obligation to revise, or update publicly, any forward-looking statements for any reason.
Investor Contact: Media Contact: For Additional Information: Matt Clawson Len Hall Craig T. Davenport, CEO Allen & Caron, Inc. Allen & Caron, Inc. Michael R. Rodriguez, CFO (949) 474-4300 (949) 474-4300 Endocare, Inc. matt@allencaron.comlen@allencaron.com (949) 450-5400 www.allencaron.comwww.allencaron.comwww.endocare.com
Endocare, Inc.
CONTACT: Investors, Matt Clawson, matt@allencaron.com, or Media, Len Hall,len@allencaron.com, both of Allen & Caron, Inc., +1-949-474-4300, forEndocare, Inc.; or Craig T. Davenport, CEO, or Michael R. Rodriguez, CFO,both of Endocare, Inc., +1-949-450-5400
Web site: http://www.endocare.com/