LYON, France, Nov. 9, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- EDAP TMS SA (Nasdaq:EDAP), the global leader in therapeutic ultrasound, today announced that it has received 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to market Ablatherm® Integrated Imaging HIFU in the U.S. for the ablation of prostate tissue. EDAP expects to commercialize Ablatherm® HIFU in the U.S. immediately.
Marc Oczachowski, EDAP Chief Executive Officer commented: "This is a tremendous achievement for the Company and the result of many years of hard work from our team. This clearance represents a unique opportunity for EDAP and its superior HIFU technology to penetrate the largest prostate market in the world in the same way it has emerged as the leading HIFU technology in Europe. With an established US sales and services infrastructure, the pieces are in place to begin deploying Ablatherm devices in the U.S. very quickly and we look forward to bringing the technology to urologists as well as patients in need."
About EDAP TMS SA
EDAP TMS SA markets today Ablatherm® for high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) treatment of localized prostate cancer outside the U.S. HIFU treatment is shown to be a minimally invasive and effective option for prostatic tissue ablation 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. Ablatherm-HIFU is approved for commercial distribution in Europe and some other countries including Mexico and Canada, and has received 510(k) clearance by the U.S. FDA. The Company also markets an innovative robot-assisted HIFU device, the Focal One®, dedicated to focal therapy of prostate cancer. Focal One® is CE marked but is not FDA approved. The Company also develops its HIFU technology for the potential treatment of certain other types of tumors. EDAP TMS SA also produces and distributes medical equipment (the Sonolith® lithotripters' range) for the treatment of urinary tract stones using extra-corporeal shockwave lithotripsy (ESWL) in most countries including Canada and the U.S. For more information on the Company, please visit http://www.edap-tms.com, and http://www.hifu-planet.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
In addition to historical information, this press release may contain forward-looking statements. Such statements are based on management's current expectations and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including matters not yet known to us or not currently considered material by us, and there can be no assurance that anticipated events will occur or that the objectives set out will actually be achieved. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results anticipated in the forward-looking statements include, among others, the clinical status and market acceptance of our HIFU devices and the continued market potential for our lithotripsy device. Factors that may cause such a difference also may include, but are not limited to, those described in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and in particular, in the sections "Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Information" and "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Report on Form 20-F.