Business: Elekta: Leksell Gamma Knife Perfexion gets regulatory approval

Stockholm, Sweden (BUSINESS WIRE) - Regulatory News: The Japanese Ministry for Health, Labor and Welfare, MHLW, has given approval for Leksell Gamma Knife Perfexion, the world-leading clinical solution for non-invasive radiosurgical treatments of tumors, vascular malformations and other brain disorders.

Elekta, the international medical technology group and developer of Gamma Knife surgery, will now be able to deliver and install this advanced technology at new and existing customer sites in Japan.

Gamma Knife surgery has become the world's most widely used radiosurgery treatment due to its extraordinary accuracy, reduction of excess radiation dose to the body, extensive history and clinical documentation. Unlike other systems, invoking compromises in order to be able to treat the whole body, Leksell Gamma Knife is specifically designed to optimize treatment to the head and neck area - a fact appreciated by neurosurgeons and patients alike.

Launched by Elekta in 2006 and now in clinical use in over 30 locations around the world, Leksell Gamma Knife Perfexion combines the proven precision of the revolutionary Leksell Gamma Knife, with a dramatic increase in clinical reach to treat a wider range of targets faster and more efficiently than ever before.

The system's unique geometric and dosimetric design robotically administers thousands of beams of low-intensity radiation that converge to deliver a single, therapeutic dose of radiation with pin-point accuracy to the most difficult targets; while integrated treatment planning and delivery streamlines the radiosurgery process to treat even multiple brain lesions in a single automated procedure.

Over 50 centers in Japan are currently offering Gamma Knife surgery to patients with benign or malignant brain tumors, vascular malformations and certain functional brain disorders.
Several of these have already expressed interest in upgrading their facility to Leksell Gamma Knife Perfexion. At the recent International Leksell Gamma Knife Society Meeting on May 18-22, in Quebec, Canada, a large number of Japanese neurosurgeons and other clinicians attended and was presented with clinical data from the current users of Leksell Gamma Knife Perfexion.

About Elekta

Elekta is an international medical technology group, providing oncologists, radiation therapists, neurosurgeons and many other medical specialists with state of the art tools to fight serious disease.

Elekta provides advanced clinical solutions, comprehensive management and information systems as well as services for improved cancer care and management of brain disorders.

Elekta's systems and solutions are used in over 5,000 hospitals around the world. Clinical and information management solutions include, among others, Leksell Gamma Knife? for non-invasive treatment of brain disorders, Elekta Axesse and Elekta Synergy for stereotactic and image guided radiation therapy and radiosurgery as well as the MOSAIQ suite of software for image-enabled EMR and efficient management of clinical and patient data.

With over 2,500 employees globally, the corporate headquarter is located in Stockholm, Sweden and the company is listed on the Nordic Exchange under the ticker EKTAb. More information about Elekta can be found at www.elekta.com.

This information was brought to you by Cision http://newsroom.cision.com ElektaPeter Ejemyr, +46 733 611 000 (mobile) Group VP Corporate Communicationspeter.ejemyr@elekta.com

Medical/Technology: Elekta announces 1st linear accelerator order in NZ

Stockholm, (ANTARA News/PRNewswire-AsiaNet) - Elekta, a world leader in clinical solutions for radiosurgery and radiation therapy, has finalized its first-ever New Zealand order.

Auckland Radiation Oncology Limited (ARO) have decided to invest in a new Elekta Synergy(R) system with MOSAIQ(TM) EMR and Elekta VMAT, for delivery in April.

Andrew Wong, M.D., says ARO's decision to purchase Elekta was based on several factors.

"Elekta Synergy technology is state of the art. The 3D cone-beam imaging performed at the time of treatment assures not only high-quality images but also exceptional precision in treating tumors. An additional consideration was Elekta's willingness to address ARO's questions and concerns with customized service and support."

ARO will be the first site in New Zealand to utilize Elekta Synergy which will be also capable of performing Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy (VMAT).

This advanced cancer treatment technology improves on Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) by simultaneously controlling the position and speed of the linear accelerator gantry, the multileaf collimator and the dose rate, enabling highly conformal radiation doses to the target site, while sparing surrounding healthy tissue.

Elekta VMAT significantly reduces treatment times, with most treatments completed in a remarkable three minutes or less. At the treatment control console, clinicians at ARO will use Elekta's clinically proven 3D imaging solution, X-Ray Volume Imaging (XVI), to obtain a low dose kilovoltage image, then analyze and correct for submillimeter patient positioning and automatically save all treatment information into the MOSAIQ(TM) electronic medical record system.

"Elekta VMAT is the fastest, most accurate radiation therapy on the market today," says Dr. Wong.

"Our patients and staff will both benefit from the speed of VMAT treatment times. Our first step is to implement an efficient Conformal Therapy and IGRT program for our patients. Then we will advance upon that by introducing VMAT."

ARO is New Zealand's first private radiotherapy center and is a joint venture between MercyAscot and Southern Cross Hospitals. Dr. Wong explains, "The only access to radiotherapy in New Zealand at present is through the public health system.

This can involve long waiting lists and patients being sent overseas for treatment. ARO is focused on supplementing existing public healthcare, as well as offering a premier private service to patients who would like a choice of treatment options."

The center is part of a comprehensive cancer center being developed by MercyAscot which will be situated at the Mercy Hospital.

Both organizations share a mutual concern for people who do not have access to timely treatment in the public healthcare system, and are hopeful that the cancer center will offer an option that complements the treatment allowed by public health.

Dr. Wong says the new ARO center will treat mainly prostate and breast cancers. "We are providing not only exemplary service and faster access to care but also the very latest in advanced technology for treating cancer," he says.

About Elekta

Elekta is an international medical technology group, providing oncologists, radiation therapists, neurosurgeons and many other medical specialists with state of the art tools to fight serious disease.

Elekta provides advanced clinical solutions, comprehensive management and information systems as well as services for improved cancer care and management of brain disorders.

Elekta's systems and solutions are used in over 5,000 hospitals around the world. Clinical and information management solutions include, among others, Leksell Gamma Knife(R) for non-invasive treatment of brain disorders, Elekta Axesse(TM) and Elekta Synergy(R) for stereotactic and image guided radiation therapy and radiosurgery as well as the MOSAIQ(TM) suite of software for image-enabled EMR and efficient management of clinical and patient data.

With nearly 2,500 employees globally, the corporate headquarter is located in Stockholm, Sweden and the company is listed on the Nordic Exchange under the ticker EKTAb. More information about Elekta can be found at www.elekta.com

SOURCE: Elekta
CONTACT: Brendan Vahey,
Managing Director,
+61-2-9939-3255,
brendan.vahey@elekta.com, or
Peter Ejemyr,
Group VP Corporate Communications,
+46-733-611-000 (mobile),
peter.ejemyr@elekta.com,
both of Elekta Australia
Web site: http://www.elekta.com

COPYRIGHT © 2008

Elekta displays innovative cancer treatments at JASTRO 2007

Hakata, (ANTARA News/PRNewswire-AsiaNet) - Elekta, a global leader in radiation oncology and non-invasive neurosurgery solutions, demonstrated a very strong presence at the 20th annual meeting of the Japanese Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (JASTRO). With over 1,800 radiation oncologists and radiation therapists in attendance, JASTRO was held December 13-15, 2007 at the Fukuoka Convention Center.

With a theme of "Expanding Treatment Possibilities," the Elekta Group was well represented at this year's JASTRO meeting. Patient immobilization products such as BodyFIX(R) drew attention, as crowds gathered to see the abilities of this dual vacuum immobilization technology. Nearby, the new versions of the ERGO++ dedicated treatment planning system and MOSAIQ(TM) image-enabled oncology electronic medical record (EMR) system attracted visitors who were interested in the Elekta solution for performing Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy (VMAT)*. VMAT takes Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) a step further, with variable intensity radiation, highly conformal dose distribution and drastically reduced treatment times.

"There was a great deal of interest in VMAT and the complete Elekta package for advanced radiation therapy," says Hideo Watanabe, Managing Director of Elekta KK (Kobe, Japan). "Elekta is increasing awareness of VMAT in Japan through its leadership in VMAT technology and solutions."

Elekta hosted a JASTRO luncheon seminar with speaker Dr. Keiichi Nakagawa of Tokyo University Hospital, the site of the first Elekta Synergy(R) installation in Japan. Nearly 500 attendees packed the hall, many of them standing, to hear Dr. Nakagawa discuss his clinical experiences and prospects for IGRT using Elekta Synergy.

Elekta Synergy users' meeting highlights clinical experience

At the Elekta Synergy users' meeting at the Hotel Nikko Fukuoka, about 40 participants attended seminars on historical and clinical successes with Elekta Synergy, presented by Dr. Nakagawa, Dr. John Wai-Chiu Wong (United States), and Dr. Matthias Guckenberger (Germany). Dr. Kumiko Karasawa of Juntendo University moderated the sessions.

A question-and-answer session followed the seminars, in which Elekta representatives addressed questions from Elekta Synergy users regarding technical issues and plans for Elekta Synergy in Japan. "The session was very well received, and demonstrated Elekta's continued support of Japanese customers," says Watanabe.

Elekta continues to expand its presence in Japan. After receiving regulatory approval for Elekta Synergy last year, deliveries began immediately, adding Elekta Synergy and Elekta Synergy(R) S to an already strong Elekta lineup of Leksell Gamma Knife(R) centers.

About Elekta

Elekta is an international medical technology group, providing oncologists, radiation therapists, neurosurgeons and many other medical specialists with state of the art tools to fight serious disease.

Elekta provides advanced clinical solutions, comprehensive management and information systems as well as services for improved cancer care and management of brain disorders.

Elekta's systems and solutions are used in over 4,500 hospitals around the world. Clinical and information management solutions include, among others, Leksell Gamma Knife(R) for non-invasive treatment of brain disorders, Elekta Axesse(TM) and Elekta Synergy(R) for stereotactic and image guided radiation therapy and radiosurgery as well as the MOSAIQ(TM) suite of software for image-enabled EMR and efficient management of clinical and patient data.

With over 2,000 employees globally, the corporate headquarter is located in Stockholm, Sweden and the company is listed on the Nordic Exchange under the ticker EKTAb. More information about Elekta can be found at www.elekta.com

* Volumetric Intensity Modulated Arc Therapy (VMAT) from Elekta is a works in progress and not yet available for sale or distribution

SOURCE: Elekta, Inc.
CONTACT: Media,
Michelle Lee,
PR and Advertising Manager,
+1-770-670-2447,
michelle.lee@elekta.com, or
Investors,
Peter Ejemyr,
Group VP Corporate Communications,
+46-733-611-000 mobile,
peter.ejemyr@elekta.com, or
Products,
Peter J. Gaccione,
Vice President,
Global Marketing,
+1-770-670-2380,
peter.gaccione@elekta.com,
all of Elekta, Inc.
Web site: http://www.elekta.com

COPYRIGHT © 2008 - ANTARANEWS