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Biotech / Medical : SNRS- Sunrise Technologies -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?


To: majormember who wrote (2703)7/16/1999 5:05:00 PM
From: Makahadan  Respond to of 4140
 
Okay. I am posting this on SI, Yahoo, RB, and Fool boards.

My thanks again to RockDoc, Joe, Skane, Imirish and others who have posted and/or answered my doubts in the face of the short barrage. May this post be my contribution and a tiny bit of reciprocation.
I had called Sunrise's VP of Investor Relations, Ed Coghlan,
late yesterday and left a message saying I realized they are up against a dramatic week, a Florida meeting, etc. but could he please call me since I was stressing out under the relentless Sturza/Street.com stories. I was pleased that he found the time to call me back.
I told him I would not quote him without permission, and requested he let me know what I could repeat, and he was quite open; if anything, I am the one editing things down. This is as close as word to word as I can be, but I remind you it is my version as I couldn't write as fast as we were talking.

Mr. Coghlan said that a key thing he'd say regarding the stories is "a person is known by the people he quotes." If I understood correctly, he said the reporter for street.com was NOT at the so-called chalk talk......
Regarding the discrepancies of what the SNRS CEO presented at the talk as purported in the report, Mr. Coghlan said he could only characterize their version of things as "silly, just plain silly."

Personally, I (Makahadan ) do not like the investigators holding SNRS. How can that not at least raise a question of conflict of interests?
Mr. Coghlan's response was that if one knew these doctors, it would be unimaginable that they would put their reputations on the line. I said that's nice if you know the doctors, but most of us don't. I can only take comfort in knowing that a few of you on the boards whom I've corresponded with do know the docs and speak highly of them.
Mr. Coghlan noted, as many of us have, that even the shorts are
acknowledging that SNRS will probably pass the FDA. He said "the company is very excited about this unique opportunity to revolutionize the treatment of hyperopia."

His key statement as far as I'm concerned was "the reaction we've had at Sunrise to these events is that we believe the information distributed to be false and misleading."


Rather than try to recount every last detail of our conversation, I will just say that it was a wonderful counterbalance to the sniping tone of the street.com reports to hear Mr. Coghlan's side of things presented in what I felt was a tone of calm irritation while maintaining a sense of humor, and I was ready to buy options except I'm as extended as I can be and if SNRS does what we longs hope, I won't have to be jealous of anyone.........

May whatever Supreme Being or act of randomness shone It's light on the San Antonio Spurs cast similar blessings upon we Sunrise Longs.

Aloha...........



To: majormember who wrote (2703)7/26/1999 3:34:00 PM
From: Sir Auric Goldfinger  Read Replies (1) | Respond to of 4140
 
AS I said, BEAM is the REAL deal: "FDA PANEL RECOMMENDS APPROVAL OF SUMMIT LASER FOR WIDEST RANGES
7/26/99 14:33

of Myopia and Astigmatism With LASIK;
Final Approval Pending for State-of-the-Art Technique

Business/Technology Editors

WALTHAM, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 26, 1999--Summit
Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ Symbol:BEAM) announced today that the Food
and Drug Administration (FDA) Ophthalmic Advisory Panel on July 23,
1999 recommended approval of the Company's PMA (Pre-Market Approval)
application for treatment of high myopia and high astigmatism with
LASIK using the Summit Apex Plus Excimer Laser Workstation. The Panel
recommended approval of the Summit system for up to 14.0 diopters (D)
of nearsightedness as well as an extended astigmatism range of up to
5.0 diopters. Final acceptance of the Panel's recommendation by the
FDA would result in Summit having approval to treat the highest range
of nearsightedness and astigmatism in the industry. The Panel also
recommended that the treatment ranges be made available to persons 18
years of age or older. Summit is currently approved for those older
than age 21; this extension would expand the reach of Summit
physicians across the country, allowing them to treat more patients.
The FDA usually accepts the Panel's recommendations.
The Panel also endorsed the LASIK technique for treatment within
these expanded ranges. LASIK (laser-assisted in-situ keratomileusis)
is a technique that is already being widely practiced by a high
percentage of refractive surgeons and is gaining increasing acceptance
because of high success rates, minimal patient discomfort and low
complication levels. During the procedure, a skilled surgeon uses a
special device called a microkeratome to create a thin flap of tissue,
about a third of the thickness of the cornea. Next, the laser is
applied to resculpt the corneal surface beneath the flap. Finally, the
flap is repositioned over the treated area.
"We are extremely pleased with the Panel's recommendation. In
addition to the LASIK recommendation, the range of treatments
available to surgeons using our Apex Plus system will approximately
double for myopic patients when approved by the FDA. Every such
approval increases our ability to compete and to succeed in the very
dynamic and exciting laser vision correction market," said Robert J.
Palmisano, Chief Executive Officer of Summit Technology. "We thank the
Summit physicians and study coordinators who participated in the
clinical trials for their dedication and strong commitment to this
effort," he added.
The following table depicts the increased ranges that will be
available to Summit customers and their patients following final FDA
approval.
-0-
*T
Currently Upon FDA Approval
Myopia 7.0D 14.0D
Astigmatism <4.0D 5.0D
(with some limitations)
Age 21 18
Lower range of treatment 1.0D 0.0D
*T
-0-
"The LASIK technique has revolutionized refractive eye surgery,"
said Dan Durrie, M.D. of Hunkeler Eye Centers, Kansas City, MO, who
was a medical monitor of the clinical studies and a presenter on
Summit's behalf to the Panel. "This procedure often provides immediate
visual results with little or no discomfort, resulting in a high
degree of patient satisfaction."
Founded in 1985, Summit Technology is a leading developer,
manufacturer and marketer of ophthalmic laser systems and related
products designed to correct common vision disorders such as
nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism. In 1995, Summit was
the first excimer laser company to receive FDA approval for its
excimer laser system for the correction of mild to moderate myopia in
the U.S. Autonomous, a wholly owned subsidiary, is engaged in the
design and development of next generation excimer laser instruments
for laser refractive surgery. The Company's LADARVision system
combines laser radar eye tracking with narrow beam shaping technology.
In addition, through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Lens Express, Summit
sells contact lenses and related products.

Cautionary Statement under "Safe Harbor" Provisions of the
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: Statements made in
this report contain information about the Company's future business
prospects. These statements may be considered "forward-looking". These
statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause
actual results to differ materially from those set forth in or implied
by such forward-looking statements. Among these risks and
uncertainties are: competition from other manufacturers and vision
correction technologies, delays in obtaining regulatory approvals,
challenges to patents owned and licensed by the Company affecting per
procedure revenues and adverse litigation results. For additional
information and risks associated with the Company's business
prospects, and future operating results, please refer to Summit's
annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1998.

--30--dp/bos*

CONTACT: Summit Technology, Inc.
Kate Sturgis Burnham, (781) 672-0517
kate.burnham@sum-tech.com"