(PR NEWSWIRE) Standardization of Revolutionary Cancer Treatment Offers Hop
Standardization of Revolutionary Cancer Treatment Offers Hope to Patients
Nationwide
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C., March 18 /PRNewswire/ -- A revolutionary new
treatment for patients suffering from abdominal cancer will soon be available
to doctors nationwide thanks to a partnership between Wake Forest University
School of Medicine and IDT, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Biocontrol
Technology of Pittsburgh, Pa (OTC Bulletin Board: BICO).
New equipment called ThermoChem-HT(tm) and associated disposables have
been developed for use with a therapy called Intraperitoneal Heated
Chemotherapy (IPHC). IPHC was developed at Wake Forest University Baptist
Medical Center by Dr. Brian Loggie, a surgical oncologist, and his research
colleague Ronald Fleming, Pharm. D., research assistant professor of internal
medicine, hematology and oncology. Loggie is only one of a handful of doctors
from around the world specializing in this procedure, which is extending life
for many who have few, if any, treatment options left.
Beth Fordham-Meier, director of Technology Transfer and Industry Relations
at Wake Forest University, said, "This device will allow us to standardize the
procedure and educate others on the utilization of the specialized device,
allowing more physicians to provide this life-extending treatment to patients
around the world."
Before the procedure, Loggie surgically removes all visible cancerous
growths from the patient's abdomen and pelvis. "Cancerous growths are removed
as completely as possible and all spaces and lining surfaces are opened to
enhance exposure for the IPHC procedure," Loggie said. IPHC is then
administered as part of the operative procedure.
"The abdomen is perfused with a gently heated physiologic solution
containing cancer fighting chemotherapy agents that wash over all the lining
surfaces," he said. "This permits direct contact of very high cancer drug
concentrations with remaining cancer cells. Heating is used to increase the
effectiveness of this interaction."
Five-year data show patients undergoing this treatment live longer and
have a better quality of life.
"We are very pleased with the dramatic survival and quality of life
benefits that have been observed in our clinical trials initiated in 1991,"
Loggie said. "IPHC is now offered at our medical center as a standard of
care. Ongoing research is a commitment to improvement in patient care and
safety. Our goal of the partnership with IDT is to standardize the perfusion
delivery system. This will permit wider application of this treatment
modality and facilitate further clinical research."
The medical school and IDT also announced they have entered into a
research agreement to utilize the ThermoChem-HT equipment and associated
disposables in a series of studies designed to evaluate and further improve
the method of heated perfusion of chemotherapy drugs. This follows the FDA's
approval to initiate study for advanced gastrointestinal cancer utilizing
Loggie's procedure and the ThermoChem-HT and disposables. The agreement also
allows Medical Center physicians to use this equipment in developing similar
uses that may lead to additional FDA 510K approvals for other types of
cancers.
ThermoChem-HT, a component of the Thermo-Chem System(TM), used for
regional hyperthermia, is being developed under comprehensive standards
covering design, manufacturing, installation and servicing systems. IDT plans
to submit clinical data to a European Notified Body for consideration of
reception of a CE Mark, which signifies that the device meets the requirements
for distribution into the European community.
SOURCE Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center
-0- 03/18/99
/CONTACT: Rae Beasley, 336-716-6878 or Jim Steele, 336-716-3487, both of
Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center, or Glenn Keeling or Susan
Taylor of IDT, Inc., 412-279-8715/
(BICO)
CO: Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center; IDT, Inc.; Biocontrol
Technology
ST: North Carolina, Pennsylvania
IN: HEA
SU: PDT
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