Xoft Signs an Agreement for Distribution of Varian Medical Systems' BrachyVision Treatment Planning Software
Posted on: Thursday, 13 October 2005, 09:01 CDT
DENVER, Oct. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Xoft, Inc., developer of the Axxent(TM) Electronic Brachytherapy System, announced that it has signed a software distribution agreement with Varian Medical Systems. The announcement was made in advance of the 47th American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (ASTRO) Meeting, October 16-19.
Under the three-year agreement, Xoft will sell its Axxent Electronic Brachytherapy Source product with Varian's BrachyVision(TM) Treatment Planning Software. Designed to deliver localized non-radioactive radiation treatment directly to cancer sites, the proprietary Axxent treatment platform can be used in virtually any clinical setting under the supervision of a radiation oncologist. The Varian BrachyVision(TM) Treatment Planning Software will support the treatment parameters that characterize the Axxent Electronic Brachytherapy Source. The first clinical indication for the Axxent System, which is pending FDA clearance, will be for use in treatment of early stage breast cancer. Other indications are in the pipeline.
Used to treat cancer for more than 100 years, radiation therapy is administered after breast surgery to kill any stray cancer cells that might remain in the breast and is proven to reduce the rate of local recurrences and improve long-term survival. Seven randomized clinical trials have evaluated whether radiation therapy can be omitted after breast surgery, and no subset of patients has yet been identified that can conclusively be treated with surgery alone. The study, "20 Year Follow-up, Total Mastectomy versus Lumpectomy," published in the New England Journal of Medicine (October 2002) demonstrated that radiation therapy is an essential component of treatment for breast cancer.
"We are pleased to enter a distribution agreement with Varian, a recognized leader in the area of radiation oncology and therapy, to give radiation oncologists a powerful, easy to use treatment planning tool to use with this innovative new method of delivering partial breast irradiation," said Steve Hansen, vice president at Xoft. "We expect the use of the BrachyVision Treatment Planning System with Xoft's Axxent System may dramatically expand access to accelerated therapy as radiation oncologists will be able to plan for and deliver treatment outside of heavily shielded rooms."
The Axxent Electronic Brachytherapy System uses disposable micro-miniature X-ray radiation sources to deliver ionizing radiation treatment directly to tumor beds. In its first indication for use, the Axxent System can be used to deliver a course of radiation therapy for early stage breast cancer in five days. It gives radiation oncologists the flexibility of controlling energy levels, eliminating the need for heavily shielded environments so that it can be used in virtually any clinical setting. This may accelerate patient choice of breast sparing lumpectomy surgery with adjuvant radiation therapy over the alternative of a full mastectomy.
"The combination of sophisticated treatment planning with non-radioactive therapy delivered direct to cancer sites offers tremendous potential to significantly increase access to radiation treatment and thus demand for breast-conserving therapy," said Michael Klein, president and CEO of Xoft, Inc. "This agreement also illustrates Xoft's goal of providing a full electronic brachytherapy system of care in which planning, dose delivery and ultimately verification are integrated into a complete package."
Varian's BrachyVision is a full function planning system for all brachytherapy treatments, designed to develop treatment plans for cancer of the cervix, lung, prostate, breast, and head and neck. BrachyVision works hand-in-hand with sophisticated imaging devices, such as CT, MRI, or ultrasound, to generate precise treatment plans based on 3-D images. The program rapidly generates optimal and individualized treatment plans that conform closely to patient anatomy.
About Xoft, Inc.
Xoft is developing leading-edge new technologies for the practice of radiation oncology through Electronic Brachytherapy, which utilizes proprietary miniaturized X-ray tube technology. The Axxent Electronic Brachytherapy System, Xoft's first treatment system, is designed for use in Accelerated Partial Breast Irradiation for the treatment of early stage breast cancer. This solution provides a therapeutic dose of intracavitary radiation directly to the region at risk without the complex handling and resource logistics necessary when performing brachytherapy using radioactive isotopes.
NOTE: Axxent is a trademark of Xoft, Inc.
Xoft, Inc.
CONTACT: Chris K. Joseph for Xoft, Inc., +1-510-339-2293, orchris@ckjcomm.com
Source: PRNewswire
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