SAN DIEGO, March 3 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- SpectraScience, Inc. , a San Diego based medical devices company, today announced that it has placed its LUMA Cervical Imaging System to detect pre-cancers at the South Florida Gynecologic Oncology Center under the direction of Dr. Stephen Poliakoff.
The LUMA Cervical Imaging System was developed to significantly improve the detection of high-grade precancerous cervical abnormalities that have the potential of becoming invasive cancer. Based on data from the National ALTS study, it is estimated that precancerous disease goes undiagnosed in about 200,000 women each year.
The LUMA System provides a safe and effective method, that when used as an adjunct to colposcopy, will uncover at least 26% more women with high-grade precancerous disease than the current gold standard which is colposcopy following an abnormal Pap test.
South Florida Gynecologic Oncology Associates ("SFGOA") has 25 years experience in South Florida with specialized treatment programs from the United States and around the world. SFGOA aims to aid women who are at risk for developing cancer and are concerned about gynecological problems. This may include evaluating women with a family history of cancer, those women who have precancerous abnormalities, women who have gynecological problems, or women with cancer who need the latest and most advanced surgical, medical and radiation therapy treatments once the diagnosis has been made.
Dr. Poliakoff stated, "We are pleased to be implementing the LUMA system at our center, and look forward to benefiting from the enhanced productivity that it provides and more importantly, for the ability to provide better patient care and outcomes. We are the only practice in South Florida providing this state-of-the art technology."
This placement at the South Florida Gynecologic Oncology Center is part of SpectraScience's plan to initially target its non-invasive LUMA system to more than 6,000 family practices located throughout the United States as the company accelerates its sales and marketing initiatives.
SpectraScience has filed for 60 patents worldwide on its WavSTAT(R) Optical Biopsy System and LUMA Cervical Cancer Imaging System that are used to diagnose tissue to determine within seconds if it is normal, pre-cancerous, or cancerous. The WavSTAT and LUMA systems are currently approved by the FDA for detecting pre-cancer and cancer in the colon and cervix, and an evaluation for detection of pre-cancers in the throat ("Barrett's esophagus") is being tested.
This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that may cause SpectraScience's actual results to differ materially from results discussed in forward-looking statements. Readers are urged to carefully review and consider the various disclosures made by SpectraScience in this news release, its most recent Form 10-KSB and in SpectraScience's other reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") that attempt to advise interested parties of the risks and factors that may affect SpectraScience's business. These forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by the cautions and risk factors filed by SpectraScience in its annual report on Form 10-KSB and other documents.
About SpectraScience, Inc.
SpectraScience is a San Diego based medical device company that designs, develops, manufactures and markets spectrophotometry systems capable of determining whether tissue is normal, pre-cancerous or cancerous without physically removing tissue from the body. The WavSTAT Optical Biopsy System uses light to optically scan tissue and provides the physician with an immediate analysis. With FDA approval for sale in the U.S. and the CE Mark for the European Union, the WavSTAT System is the first commercially available product that incorporates this innovative technology for clinical use. The Company's LUMA imaging technology has received FDA approval for an optical non-invasive system that is proven to more effectively detect cervical cancer precursors than conventional methods available in the market today.
CONTACT: Jim Hitchin, Chief Executive Officer of SpectraScience, Inc.,
+1-858-847-0200, ext. 201; or Investor Relations, Todd Pitcher of Hayden
Communications, +1-858-518-1387, for SpectraScience, Inc.
