WILMINGTON, Mass. - (Business Wire) Sirtex Medical Inc., a leading developer of targeted and innovative cancer therapies, is pleased to announce the development and implementation of the Centers of Excellence (COE) Program. The COE designation recognizes premier hospitals and medical centers in the United States that have made significant contributions to interventional oncology research and clinical practice, including the use of SIR-Spheres microspheres. Manufactured by Sirtex, SIR-Spheres microspheres are the only FDA-approved radioactive microsphere therapy for the treatment of colorectal liver metastases.1, 2 The 2008 Centers of Excellence:
- Abbott Northwestern Hospital, Minneapolis, MN
- Carolinas Medical Center, Charlotte, NC
- Leland Stanford Jr. University Medical Center, Stanford, CA
- Our Lady of the Lake Hospital, Baton Rouge, LA
- Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center, Spokane, WA
- Sky Ridge Medical Center, Denver, CO
- Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA
- University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA
- University of California San Diego Medical Center, San Diego, CA
- William Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak, MI
- Wake Medical Center, Raleigh, NC
“On behalf of Sirtex, I would like to express our thanks and appreciation to the Centers of Excellence recipients,” said Dr. John Reddington, president of Sirtex Medical Inc. “These clinical professionals play a critical role in advancing the treatment options and level of care for patients with metastatic liver tumors.”
The COE winners will receive special recognition on the Sirtex Web site as well as continued support from Sirtex. COE honorees will also participate in ongoing medical education activities.
At least 60 percent of the nearly 150,000 Americans diagnosed with colorectal cancer every year will see their cancer spread to the liver. Microspheres therapy, using SIR-Spheres microspheres, is a minimally invasive treatment in which millions of radioactive spheres are infused via a catheter into the liver. The microspheres selectively target liver tumors with a dose of internal radiation up to 40 times higher than conventional radiotherapy while sparing healthy tissue.
1 Manufactured by Sirtex, SIR-Spheres microspheres are the only FDA-approved microsphere radiation therapy for the treatment of colorectal liver metastases.
2 Sirtex Medical Inc.’s SIR-Spheres microspheres are indicated for the treatment of non-resectable metastatic colorectal cancer in combination with intra-arterial FUDR chemotherapy. Information regarding other disease states or agents in combination with this device, that is presented in peer-reviewed literature or medical meetings may differ from the approved USA indications as per the labeling for the product.
About Selective Internal Radiation Therapy (SIRT) using SIR-Spheres microspheres
Selective Internal Radiation Therapy (SIRT), also known as Radioembolization, is a novel treatment for inoperable liver cancer that delivers high doses of radiation directly to the site of tumors. In a minimally-invasive treatment, millions of radioactive SIR-Spheres microspheres are infused via a catheter into the liver where they selectively target liver tumors with a dose of internal radiation up to 40 times higher than conventional radiotherapy, while sparing healthy tissue.
Clinical trials have confirmed that liver cancer patients treated with SIR-Spheres microspheres have response rates higher than with other forms of treatment, resulting in increased life expectancy, greater periods without tumor activity, and improved quality of life. SIRT has been found to shrink liver tumors more than chemotherapy alone.
SIR-Spheres microspheres are approved for use in Australia, the United States of America (FDA approval), and the European Union (CE Mark) and additionally supplied in countries such as Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Taiwan, India, Israel and Turkey with approximately 13,500 treatments worldwide.
For more information, visit www.sirtex.com.
® SIR-Spheres is a Registered Trademark of Sirtex SIR-Spheres Pty Ltd
For Sirtex Medical Inc.
Andrea Moody, 919-457-0743
andrea.moody@fleishman.com
