CARL ZEISS MEDITEC : First Clinical Use of INTRABEAM in India

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Carl Zeiss Meditec installs first mobile radiation system for the
treatment of breast cancer in India
JENA/Germany - 02 December 2009.
Carl Zeiss Meditec has installed the first mobile radiation
instrument - INTRABEAM - for intraoperative breast cancer therapy at
the Indo-American Cancer Center in Hyderabad, India. With INTRABEAM,
there is now a radiation system for breast cancer therapy with proven
patient benefits on the Indian market. For example, study results
show that the recurrence rate after five years is maybe reduced to
less than half of that expected with traditional treatments.
Dr. Ch. Mohana Vamsy from the Indo-American Cancer Institute and
Research Centre, Hyderabad, who advocated the purchase of INTRABEAM
for the hospital, is convinced of the method. "The boost with
INTRABEAM enables radiation directly in the tumor bed during the
procedure. This is gentler on the surrounding healthy tissue, is thus
better tolerated and also shows high clinical effectiveness. Targeted
intraoperative radiation therapy (TARGIT) with INTRABEAM therefore
offers clear treatment benefits for our patients."
This treatment approach was inspired by original research in India
and UK by Dr. Jayant S. Vaidya, who developed it at University
College London, and gave the first treatment in 1998. This treatment
is now being used in many centres around the world. As a pioneer in
TARGIT, Dr. Vaidya has come to India to demonstrate the first
operation with INTRABEAM. "This is ideal technology for India and it
has been my dream to bring it here for the last 10 years. I am
thrilled that women in India will now benefit from targeted
intraoperative radiotherapy. In some patients TARGIT could reduce
treatment time to just one session in the operation theatre, or in
others it could improve the control of cancer. Soon, it could save
many women from choosing a mastectomy. This marks a milestone in
breast cancer treatment and opens up entirely new opportunities for
patients and doctors in India for treatment and research of breast
cancer," says Dr. Vaidya.
Dr. Michael Kaschke, President and CEO of Carl Zeiss Meditec AG,
explains that "the verification of the effectiveness and treatment
benefits of INTRABEAM by doctors around the world motivates us to
work even harder. Our attention is now being focused on sales and
marketing in order to spread the innovative power of this new method
on the basis of the clinical results and stimulate further growth.
With the installation of the first INTRABEAM in India, we have taken
a giant step towards opening up this urge market."

Further information
Breast cancer is the most common form of the disease in women.
Today's treatment standard is the breast-conserving removal of the
tumor in combination with external, 6-week radiotherapy with a tumor
bed boost.
In intraoperative radiotherapy the tumor bed is irradiated
isotropically with soft X-rays after resection of the breast tumor.
To date, more than 3000 women have received intraoperative
radiotherapy with the INTRABEAM device all over the world.
Clinical outcomes of intraoperative boost therapy of breast cancer
using the INTRABEAM show a local recurrence rate of only 1.5 percent.
This is considerably lower than the expected recurrence rate of
around 3 to 5 percent in the first five years after surgery in
traditional radiotherapy. Therefore, the method not only offers the
benefit that traditional radiotherapy can be reduced by one to two
weeks because part of the radiotherapy already takes place during
surgery, but is also anticipated to be more effective than the
traditional technique.
The international clinical study "TARGIT" is currently examining the
possibility of offering IORT in the future as the sole method of
radiotherapy in selected cases of early breast cancer in addition to
boost irradiation with the INTRABEAM. Initial results are already
expected next year.


Contact:

Eva Sesselmann
Director CZM Group Communications
Carl Zeiss Meditec AG
Göschwitzer Strasse 51-52
07745 Jena
Germany
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]

Patrick Kofler
Director Investor Relations
Carl Zeiss Meditec AG
Göschwitzer Strasse 51-52
07745 Jena
Germany
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]

Brief profile
Carl Zeiss Meditec AG (ISIN: DE0005313704) is one of the world's
leading medical technology companies.
The Company supplies innovative technologies and application-oriented
solutions which enable doctors to improve the quality of life of
their patients. The Company offers complete solutions, including
implants and consumables, to diagnose and treat ophthalmic diseases.
In the fields of microsurgery the Company provides innovative
visualization solutions. The medical technology portfolio of Carl
Zeiss Meditec is rounded off by promising future-oriented
technologies such as intraoperative radiotherapy.
The Company's around 2,100 employees generated revenues of about EUR
600 million in fiscal year 2007/08 (ended Sept. 30). The headquarters
of Carl Zeiss Meditec are located in Jena, Germany. In addition to
other subsidiaries in Germany, the Company is represented by over 50
percent of its employees at sites in the USA, Japan, Spain and
France.
35 percent of Carl Zeiss Meditec shares are in free float. The
remaining 65 percent are held by Carl Zeiss AG, one of the world's
leading groups in the optical and opto-electronic industry. The five
independently run business segments of Carl Zeiss AG operate in the
future-oriented markets "Medical and Research Solutions", "Industrial
Solutions" and "Lifestyle Products". Carl Zeiss AG is headquartered
in Oberkochen, Germany. During fiscal year 2007/08 (ended Sept. 30)
the company generated revenues of about EUR 2.7 billion. Carl Zeiss
has around 13,000 employees in more than 30 countries, including over
8,000 in Germany.
For further information, please visit our website at:
http://www.meditec.zeiss.com


 
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Carl Zeiss Meditec AG
Goeschwitzer Strasse 51-52 Jena Germany

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