LYON, France, March 22, 2010 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- EDAP TMS SA (Nasdaq:EDAP), the global leader in therapeutic ultrasound, reported today that the INSERM team and Emmanuel Blanc, the Company's Chief Technology Officer, have been nominated for the European Inventor Award 2010. The Award is presented annually by the European Patent Office (EPO) and European Commission honoring individual inventors, or teams of inventors, who pioneer innovations in areas such as science and technology.
A high-ranking international Jury is evaluating 12 candidates from nine European countries and will select one winner in each of four categories: lifetime achievement, Industry, SMEs/research and non-European countries. INSERM and Mr. Blanc have been nominated under the SMEs/research category for their advancement of Ablatherm-HIFU as an important, minimally invasive treatment option for patients with prostate cancer. As the basis for selection, the EPO considered two patents covering the design of Ablatherm-HIFU's endorectal transducer and the piezo composite used for ultrasound wave generation.
EDAP markets the Ablatherm-HIFU device in several European and global markets, while INSERM is the only French public organization entirely dedicated to biological, medical and public health research, with a unit entirely focused on therapeutic ultrasound.
Emmanuel Blanc, EDAP's CTO, said, "EDAP has worked in collaboration with INSERM to develop the minimally invasive Ablatherm-HIFU device and pioneer the broader use of therapeutic ultrasound within the prostate cancer treatment regimen. We are proud to be recognized for these efforts and years of focus in research and innovation. We thank the EPO for nominating our team for the prestigious European Inventor Award. As the leading global expert in high intensity focused ultrasound, EDAP has built a successful track record of developing and marketing devices based on innovative technologies. The Company is recognized and continues to be regarded as the HIFU world leader for the treatment of localized prostate cancer."
About EDAP TMS SA
EDAP TMS SA develops and markets Ablatherm, the most advanced and clinically proven choice for high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) treatment of localized prostate cancer. HIFU treatment is shown to be a minimally invasive and effective treatment option with a low occurrence of side effects. Ablatherm-HIFU is generally recommended for patients with localized prostate cancer (stages T1-T2) who are not candidates for surgery or who prefer an alternative option, or for patients who failed radiotherapy treatment. Approved in Europe as a treatment for prostate cancer, Ablatherm-HIFU (High Intensity Focused Ultrasound) is currently undergoing evaluation in a multicenter U.S. Phase II/III clinical trial under an Investigational Device Exemption granted by the FDA, the ENLIGHT U.S. clinical study. The Company also is developing this technology for the potential treatment of certain other types of tumors. EDAP TMS SA also produces and commercializes medical equipment for treatment of urinary tract stones using extra-corporeal shockwave lithotripsy (ESWL). For more information on the company, please visit http://www.edap-tms.com, http://www.hifu-planet.com and http://www.pcaresearch.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
In addition to historical information, this press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. These include statements regarding the company's growth and expansion plans. Such statements are based on management's current expectations and are subject to a number of uncertainties, including the uncertainties of the regulatory process, and risks that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in these forward-looking statements. Factors that may cause such a difference include, but are not limited to, those described in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Ablatherm-HIFU treatment is in clinical trials, but not FDA-approved or marketed in the United States.