Tuesday May 12, 8:31 am Eastern Time
Company Press Release
Hammersmith Hospital Research Demonstrates Cheung Laboratories' Breast Cancer System Produces Safe, Controlled Deep Heating to Treat Cancer Patients
Human Trials Planned at Hammersmith
COLUMBIA, Md.--(BW HealthWire)--May 12, 1998-- Cheung Laboratories, Inc. (OTC BB:CGLB - news) today announced that researchers from Hammersmith Hospital in London, England have successfully concluded an initial study using Cheung's newly developed breast cancer treatment system. The in vivo study, which evaluated the system's ability to heat deep tissue in a large animal model, confirmed the system's safety and effectiveness.
These findings are a further confirmation of the Cheung breast system's safety and effectiveness which resulted in the FDA approval for commercialization in September 1997. The system which was just tested by researchers from Hammersmith incorporates proprietary, patented, Adaptive Phased Array (APA) technology which was originally developed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) for use in spaceborne radar surveillance systems for the Department of Defense's Star Wars project.
The results from the Hammersmith research indicated the system's capacity to provide controlled deep heating in living tissue without harming superficial tissues. The research also indicated the system's ability to penetrate living tissue at depths necessary to target breast tumors of varying sizes.
A senior member of the research team at Hammersmith Hospital said, ''The Cheung Laboratories system provides effective and controlled microwave heating and we are anticipating its successful application in the treatment of breast cancer patients.''
Spencer Volk, president and chief executive officer of Cheung Laboratories, commented on the significance of Hammersmith's findings, ''I am extremely pleased with the results of Hammersmith's research on our deep focused thermotherapy system. Since the findings indicate that our system is safe, we may now proceed with clinical trials on humans.''
Cheung's deep focused heating system is planned to be put to trial at the Hammersmith Hospital in London, England to treat patients with small, medium, and large breast tumors. ''The system's ability to treat tumors of a range of sizes addresses its considerable potential to help a percentage of breast cancer patients,'' added Volk.
Hammersmith Hospital's findings confirm those of Harvard's Massachusetts General Hospital, which also demonstrated the system's ability to target and effectively heat a specific region deep within a living animal. Cheung Laboratories plans to conduct clinical trials using its focused heat system in conjunction with lumpectomy, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy. This research, which will be conducted at multiple hospital sites, will determine the Cheung system's ability to eradicate breast tumors and significantly enhance breast conservation treatments utilizing minimally invasive procedures.
Cheung Laboratories has entered into an exclusive license agreement with MIT for the commercialization rights of the APA technology incorporated into its deep focused heat system for treatment of breast cancer, prostate cancer, and other deep-seated cancers of the body. The heat used in the system is generated by an externally located microwave antenna system.
Cheung Laboratories, Inc. is a research and development company dedicated to commercializing medical treatment systems for cancer and benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) utilizing deep focused heat delivered by patented microwave technology. Cheung is presently working with leading institutions to develop its focused heat treatments, including Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), Montefiore Medical Center, and Duke University in the United States, and Hammersmith Hospital and Oxford University in England.
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Forward-looking statements in this release are made pursuant to the ''safe harbor'' provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Investors are cautioned that such forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation, possible changes in cost of materials, expense items, capital expenditures, capital structure, and other financial items; introduction of new products and possible acquisitions of assets or businesses; possible actions by customers, suppliers, competitors, regulatory authorities; and other risks detailed from time to time in the Company's periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. |
