SUNNYVALE, Calif., June 18 /PRNewswire/ -- Xoft, Inc., makers of the Axxent(R) Electronic Brachytherapy System, a proprietary technology platform designed to deliver localized, non-radioactive, isotope-free radiation treatment in minimally-shielded clinical settings, announced today that Mark Carol, MD, has joined as Chief Medical Officer. Bringing more than 25 years of clinical practice and medical device industry experience to Xoft, Dr. Carol will focus on continued development of the current breast and endometrial cancer applications as well as explore future indications and markets based on the ability to deliver KV energy anywhere in the body.
“I have spent most of my career working to develop and deliver novel therapies to patients that have clear-cut clinical value, but do not cost them or the healthcare system an arm and a leg,” said Dr. Carol. “I am excited to join Xoft and be part of a talented team dedicated bringing a dramatic new approach to the delivery of radiation treatment that I believe can lead to fundamental breakthroughs in cancer research and treatment and, perhaps most importantly, patient care.
“While Electronic Brachytherapy has already demonstrated clear clinical value in the treatment of breast and is now being applied to endometrial cancers, the energy range the technology operates in opens the doors to a myriad of new treatment options and modalities. For example, intraoperative radiation therapy has had many champions over the years; however, without a truly portable system to deliver a safe and consistent dose, it has not been clinically or commercially practical. Binary therapy, known as photoactivation or Disease Activated Radiation Therapy, is another application well suited to this technology. If we can tag cancer cells with a material such as iodine that can be activated by KV energy, we have the potential to very effectively kill the cancer cells with little or no effect on the surrounding healthy cells,” added Dr. Carol.
Dr. Carol, who recently received the Ira Sohn Conference Foundation Prize in Pediatric Oncology for his research on the use of KV X-ray-based radiation therapy, previously served as a consulting medical director for Xoft. He received his M.D. with distinction from University of Rochester in 1978, and went on to complete a residency in neurosurgery at the University of Maryland. After spending four years in clinical practice, Dr. Carol went on to found several medical device companies, including NOMOS, where he pioneered the development of technology related to stereotactic and holographic-guided surgery, and conceptualized and implemented clinically the first commercial inverse treatment planning, intensity modulation radiation therapy and image guided radiation therapy systems. Most recently, he was the founder and CTO of the DxTx Corporation, a company that developed novel approaches to the diagnosis and treatment of early stage lung cancer, and Enki, Inc., an early stage startup company focused on novel approaches to the delivery of radiation therapy for benign and malignant disease. Dr. Carol has published extensively in the fields of radiation therapy and neurosurgery and holds more than a dozen patents in radiation therapy, neurosurgery, and cardiology.
“Mark Carol is a highly distinguished physician and innovative veteran of the medical technology industry and we are very pleased that he has selected Xoft as the next place to apply his immense creative energy,” said Michael Klein, president and CEO of Xoft. “Mark has a tremendous vision for the application of medical technology; however, it is always guided by a patient centric approach. This combination mirrors Xoft’s founding principles and is critical to our ability to deliver therapies that are clinically relevant and improve patient care and access.”
About Electronic Brachytherapy
Cleared for accelerated treatment of early stage breast cancer and endometrial and rectal indications, the Axxent(R) Electronic Brachytherapy System is now cleared for use in the treatment of other cancers or conditions where radiation therapy is indicated. As a platform technology, the Electronic Brachytherapy System is designed to address a variety of oncological and non-oncological indications. Designed to deliver electronic, X-ray-based radiation treatment, the proprietary Axxent treatment platform can be used in virtually any clinical setting under the supervision of a radiation oncologist. The Axxent System is designed to deliver non-radioactive therapy directly to cancer sites with minimal radiation exposure to surrounding healthy tissue. Eliminating the need for heavily shielded environments, it gives radiation oncologists the flexibility to deliver therapy in a broader range of clinical settings. As a result, tens of thousands of patients will have greater access to therapy that is delivered more easily and conveniently.
About Xoft, Inc.
Xoft is developing leading-edge new technologies for the practice of radiation oncology through Electronic Brachytherapy, which utilizes proprietary miniaturized X-ray tube technology. The Axxent(R) Electronic Brachytherapy System, Xoft’s first treatment system, is currently being used in Accelerated Partial Breast Irradiation (APBI) for the treatment of early-stage breast cancer. This solution provides a therapeutic dose of intracavitary radiation directly to the region at risk without the complex handling and resource logistics necessary when performing brachytherapy using radioactive isotopes.
CONTACT: Chris K. Joseph, +1-510-339-2293, chris@ckjcomm.com, for Xoft,
Inc.
