BICO SUBSIDIARY, VIACIRQ, AND VETERANS MEDICAL CENTER ENTER
INTO THERMOCHEMT HT SYSTEM EVALUATION AGREEMENT
Pittsburgh, PA - May 23, 2001 - BICO, Inc.
(OTCBB:BIKO) subsidiary, ViaCirq, Inc., a leading developer
and marketer of extracorporeal hyperthermia medical
devices, announced today that it has entered into an
agreement with a Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC) to
use and evaluate the ThermoChem HT System as part of an
operative procedure to deliver intraperitoneal hyperthermia
(IPH). The Evaluation Agreement requires the VA Medical
Center to purchase IPH procedure kits for each treatment.
The first IPH treatment, using the ThermoChem HT System,
was administered on May 14, 2001.
VAMC management will discuss the feasibility of
whether this surgical procedure, utilizing the ThermoChem
HT System, can be marketed to other VA Medical Centers
regionally or nationally.
IPH is used as an adjunctive therapy with surgery and
chemotherapy in treatment of advanced gastrointestinal and
ovarian cancer. The use of IPH treatments, like the one
performed at the VAMC, have been shown to improve both
survival and quality of life for patients with these
advanced stage cancers.
ViaCirq received FDA clearance to market the
ThermoChem HT System last year. The ThermoChem HT System
is used to raise the core temperature of the abdominal
cavity to the desired target temperature in the 41 C
(105.8 F) to 42 C (107.6 F) range by continuously bathing
the abdominal cavity with circulating sterile solution.
BICO, Inc. has its corporate offices in Pittsburgh, PA
and is involved in the development and manufacture of
biomedical devices and environmental solutions. BICO's
subsidiary, ViaCirq, Inc., also located in Pittsburgh, PA,
is committed to becoming the worldwide market leader in
developing, manufacturing and marketing leading-edge
hyperthermia products and services of the highest quality
and value.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Investors Media
Diane McQuaide Susan Taylor
1.412.429.0673 phone 1.412.429.0673 phone
1.412.279.9690 fax 1.412.279.5041 fax
INVESTOR RELATIONS NEWSLINE NUMBER: 1.800.357.6204
WEBSITE: www.bico.com |
