Here's a new PR from Laserscope on a very interesting indication. Of course the real issue is whether or not Laserscope can actually make some money!
Ed
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Laserscope's PDT Laser Systems Included in
Phase I Clinical Trial for Treatment of
Atherosclerosis
Business Wire - May 19, 1998 08:20
%LASERSCOPE LSCP %CALIFORNIA %BIOTECHNOLOGY %MEDICINE V%BW P%BW
Jump to first matched term
SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BW HealthWire)--May 19, 1998--Laserscope
(NASDAQ:LSCP) announced today that its PDT laser systems are being used in a
recently initiated Phase I clinical trial to evaluate the photoangioplasty treatment of
patients with peripheral vascular disease using the photosensitizer drug
ANTRIN(TM), manufactured by Pharmacyclics Inc.
In the minimally invasive procedure, patients are initially injected with ANTRIN.
The trial, sponsored by Pharmacyclics Inc., is designed to demonstrate that
ANTRIN, when subsequently activated by Laserscope's PDT laser systems,
dissolves plaque in blood vessels with little or no damage to healthy surrounding
blood vessel walls.
In making the announcement, Robert V. McCormick, Laserscope president and
CEO said, "The potential of being able to treat atherosclerosis effectively and safely
with a drug-laser combination would represent a major breakthrough in the treatment
of cardiovascular disease."
Atherosclerosis is the narrowing of the arteries caused by plaque accumulation. In
coronary arteries, it is a primary cause of heart attacks. In peripheral vessels, the
resulting disease can cause the loss of limbs, failure of vital organs, and strokes.
Unlike current relatively indiscriminate therapies, the new drug-laser treatment has
the potential to eradicate plaque over long segments of arteries, avoid damage to
artery walls, and preclude restenosis (artery re-closure).
According to the American Heart Association, coronary heart disease is the single
leading cause of death in America today. It estimates that more than 13 million
people in the United States alone have some form of coronary heart disease, leading
to nearly 500,000 deaths each year.
The Phase I clinical trial, designed to show that ANTRIN can destroy arterial plaque
without damaging vessel walls when activated by 732nm laser energy, is now
underway at Stanford University.
Added McCormick: "We believe PDT could represent the next generation of safe,
selective, and cost-effective treatments for a wide variety of diseases, including
several forms of cancer. As we continue to accumulate more clinical information and
expand and refine our technology base, we see an opportunity for Laserscope to
be a major player in the emerging PDT market. We are positioning the company
within the medical community as a leader in PDT light sources and state-of-the-art
fiberoptic delivery devices for a variety of photosensitizer drugs and a variety of
applications."
Laserscope is a pioneer in the development and commercialization of light sources
and advanced delivery devices for photoselective medicine. It has a strategic alliance
with QLT PhotoTherapeutics Inc., whose proprietary drug PHOTOFRIN(R), which
also can be activated by Laserscope's PDT laser systems, is the only
photodynamic therapy drug to date to receive marketing clearance in any world
jurisdiction.
Laserscope received clearance in January 1998 from the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) for its PDT laser systems to activate PHOTOFRIN as a new,
minimally invasive treatment for certain types of early-stage lung cancers. This
approval followed an earlier FDA approval to treat certain advanced esophageal
cancers.
Laserscope designs, manufactures, sells and services on a worldwide basis an
advanced line of medical laser systems and related energy delivery devices for the
office, outpatient surgical center and hospital markets. More information on
Laserscope and its products can be found on the company's Web site at
www.laserscope.com.
Statements in this announcement about future results are preliminary and based on
partial information and assumptions, and actual results may differ. Except for the
historical information presented, the matters discussed in this announcement contain
forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, including the
development and rate of growth of new markets and treatments such as PDT, results
from the above mentioned clinical trial, the impact of competitive products and
technologies, physician and consumer acceptance of and demand for the medical
procedures targeted by the company, general economic conditions in the U.S. and
abroad, and other risks detailed from time to time in the company's public disclosure
filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Copies of
Laserscope's most recent Forms 10K and 10Q are available upon request from its
Investor Relations Department.
CONTACT: Laserscope, San Jose
Richard Wood, 408/943-0636 (IR/Media)
Dennis LaLumandiere, 408/943-0636 (Financial)
or
Hilary Kaye Associates
Hilary Kaye or Chris Smith, 714/851-5150 |
