STOCKHOLM, Sweden, Oct. 6, 2004 (PRIMEZONE) -- Elekta, a world leading supplier of advanced and innovative radiation oncology and neurosurgery solutions and IMPAC Medical Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq:IMPCE), a leading provider of information technology solutions for oncology care announced today that they have entered into a Sales Consulting Agreement. Under the Agreement, Elekta will have rights to offer IMPAC's oncology information system products and services, including the recently released MOSAIQ(TM) (work in progress) Image-Enabled EMR (electronic medical record) in select markets around the world.
Elekta will now be able to offer a much broader solution that will encompass the entire therapy process from initial referral, through treatment, and into long-term follow-up. By providing installation, training and support services to information systems sold by Elekta, IMPAC will expand and accelerate its reach into the global markets.
Agreement Strengthens Relationship
IMPAC and Elekta have a rich history of cooperation and innovation. IMPAC has provided interface solutions to Elekta's radiation oncology products and has kept pace with Elekta's industry-leading technological achievements for many years. IMPAC has interfaced to Elekta equipment in ten countries.
In December 2003 IMPAC and Elekta reached agreements to standardize interfaces for oncology therapeutic equipment based on the DICOM Standard.
Earlier this week the companies announced another collaborative development to improve the performance of IMRT (Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy) whereby a new enhanced interface is expected to ship later this year which will add a high speed capability supportive of Elekta's PreciseBEAM(R) IMRT.
Open Systems is Key to Partnership
In this new sales agreement, the companies commit to maintaining open systems and solutions. While the companies each seek to benefit from this open systems approach which relies heavily on their standardization efforts, the key benefactors of this strategy are the providers of oncology services. "We applaud Elekta for its open systems commitment. It means practices can pick best of breed solutions from vendors fully committed to the emerging standards. For providers it means more choices for future purchases, easier and faster implementations, and fewer in-house resources that need to be involved in managing systems," says Joseph K. Jachinowski, president and CEO of IMPAC Medical Systems
"Both Elekta and IMPAC have had long standing commitments to improve the quality of life for patients. We continue to work with our partners in the clinic to bring solutions that inspire clinical confidence in the advancement of radiotherapy techniques and the fight against serious disease. Elekta has an open-systems philosophy that offers our customers seamless integration with freedom to choose the systems that best suit them. This agreement with IMPAC is an excellent example of this philosophy in action," said Laurent Leksell, President and CEO of Elekta.
For further information, please contact:
Peter Ejemyr, Group VP Corporate Communications, Elekta AB (publ) Tel: +46 733 611 000, e-mail: peter.ejemyr@elekta.com
Julie DeSantis, Public Relations Manager, IMPAC Medical Systems, Inc. Tel: +1 650-623-8883, pr@impac.com
Elekta is a world-leading supplier of advanced and innovative radiation oncology and neurosurgery solutions and services for precise treatment of cancer and brain disorders. Elekta's solutions are clinically effective, cost efficient and gentle to the patient.
For additional information about Elekta, please visit www.elekta.com
About IMPAC Medical Systems, Inc.
IMPAC Medical Systems, Inc. is a leading provider of oncology IT solutions that streamline both clinical and business operations to help improve the process of delivering quality patient care. With systems designed for anatomic pathology, medical oncology, radiation oncology, imaging, clinical laboratory, and cancer registry, IMPAC supports the entire team of healthcare professionals who contribute to the care of the cancer patient. Supporting over 2500 installations worldwide, IMPAC provides practical solutions that deliver better overall communication, process efficiency and quality patient care. For more information about IMPAC products and services, please call +1 650-623-8800 or visit www.impac.com.
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