DGAP-News: Eckert & Ziegler Strahlen- und Medizintechnik AG / Key
word(s): Acquisition
Eckert & Ziegler acquires leading manufacturer of brachytherapy
accessories
06.11.2013 / 07:45
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Berlin, November 6, 2013. Eckert & Ziegler BEBIG, the medical device
division of Eckert & Ziegler AG, is to acquire 100% of the shares in Mick
Radio Nuclear Instruments, Inc. (MRNI). One of the leading manufacturers of
brachytherapy instrumentation and accessories, the company is based in the
US state of New York and generated sales of approximately EUR4 million in
fiscal year 2012/2013. A non-disclosure agreement has been reached
regarding the price of the purchase.
The purchase of MRNI represents another important bridgehead for Eckert &
Ziegler's entry into the US market and complements the recent acquisition
of the brachytherapy division of the US company Biocompatibles Inc. Just a
few weeks ago, Eckert & Ziegler reported that it had bought the division,
rounding out its product portfolio in the area of prostate cancer therapy
and gaining an experienced sales team for the North American market.
Felix Mick, a Swiss engineer and one of the pioneers in the use of
radioisotopes for treating cancer (brachytherapy), laid the foundations for
MRNI in New York in the 1970s. With the help of Dr. Ulrich Henschke, a
radiation oncologist and pioneer in afterloading technology, he developed
brachytherapy into an effective treatment option for numerous forms of
cancer. MRNI began as a small manufacturing unit in the Bronx and is now
the leading manufacturer of applicators. Felix Mick's contribution to this
form of therapy has become legendary.
Around 10% of cancer patients worldwide are treated with brachytherapy, a
method in which a radioactive source is placed inside or near the area to
be irradiated in the body.
'MRNI is an acclaimed market leader that has an extensive portfolio of
patents and offers a high level of innovation in the field of brachytherapy
applicators,' explained Dr. Edgar Löffler, Managing Director of Eckert &
Ziegler BEBIG s.a. and Member of the Executive Board at Eckert & Ziegler
AG. 'The acquisition of the brachytherapy division at Biocompatibles Inc.
and MRNI, whose clients include all companies and hospitals in the field of
brachytherapy, has provided a huge boost for our sales strategy in the US,'
Löffler added.
Felix Mick will continue to support Eckert & Ziegler BEBIG as a
technological consultant.
Afterloading is a form of robot-assisted radiotherapy that involves placing
a small radioactive source directly into the affected organ. In cervical
cancer, for example, the physician inserts a special hollow tube â the
applicator â into the patient's vagina until it reaches the tumor. The
applicator is connected to the afterloading equipment by a tube, which
contains the miniaturized radioactive source. After that, the physician
checks (e.g. with an ultrasound or a CT/MRI) whether the applicator is in
the correct position. The physician and medical staff can then leave the
treatment room and begin the actual irradiation from the next room. The
radiation source passes through the tube to the applicator via a highly
flexible cable. Once in position, the afterloader is programmed to direct
the source at the area to be treated in gradual steps. How long the source
will stay in each dwell position is calculated individually for each type
of tumor and enables physicians to adjust the dose to the target volume.
This protects the surrounding organs and reduces side effects. Together
with recent developments in three-dimensional imaging, computerized
treatment planning systems and robot-assisted afterloading devices, this
has made brachytherapy a safe and effective form of treatment for many
types of cancer.
About Eckert & Ziegler
With around 700 employees, the Eckert & Ziegler Group (ISIN DE0005659700)
is one of the world's largest providers of isotope components for radiation
therapy and nuclear medicine. Besides irradiation equipment for
gynecological cancers, Eckert & Ziegler manufactures special products for
the treatment of prostate cancer and ocular tumors. Eckert & Ziegler BEBIG
s.a. is a manufacturer of products for brachytherapy and European market
leader for prostate implants.
Your contact:
Eckert & Ziegler AG, Karolin Riehle, Investor Relations
Robert-Rössle-Str. 10, 13125 Berlin
Tel.: +49 (0) 30 / 94 10 84-138
karolin.riehle@ezag.de
www.ezag.de
End of Corporate News
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06.11.2013 Dissemination of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP - a
company of EQS Group AG.
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
DGAP's Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements,
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Media archive at www.dgap-medientreff.de and www.dgap.de
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Language: English
Company: Eckert & Ziegler Strahlen- und Medizintechnik AG
Robert-Rössle-Str.10
13125 Berlin
Germany
Phone: 49 30 941084-138
Fax: 49 30 941084-112
E-mail: karolin.riehle@ezag.de
Internet: www.ezag.de
ISIN: DE0005659700
WKN: 565970
Listed: Regulierter Markt in Frankfurt (Prime Standard), Stuttgart;
Freiverkehr in Berlin, Düsseldorf, Hamburg, München
End of News DGAP News-Service
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238041 06.11.2013
DGAP-News: Eckert & Ziegler acquires leading manufacturer of brachytherapy accessories
| Source: EQS Group AG