Faster, More Accurate Cancer Treatments on Horizon in Japan wi…

TOKYO, July 31, 2012 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ –

Use of revolutionary Elekta multi-leaf collimator (MLC) to continue global
spread with Japan’s Pharmaceutical & Medical Devices Agency (PMDA) clearance
of Agility

Following U.S. and European approvals of Elekta’s Agility
(http://www.elekta.com/agility )(TM)* MLC, Japan will join the international
community of users of the beam-shaping device with the country’s PMDA clearance
of Agility. The approval paves the way for the first clinical use of Agility in
Japanese healthcare centers. Using a combination of 160 high-resolution
tungsten leaves and dramatically faster leaf movement, Agility promises a new
level of precision and delivery speed in radiation therapy treatments for
patients with cancer.

An MLC, a device made up of numerous, individual tungsten "leaves," is used
to shape radiation therapy beams, which are delivered from different angles
around the patient. Using twice the number of leaves typical of many standard
MLC’s, Agility precisely sculpts delivered radiation to the distinctive
contours of the tumor, while reducing the risk of exposure to healthy normal
tissues.

Agility also includes ultra-fast leaf movements – twice as fast as other
MLCs commonly used in the industry – enabling clinicians to further exploit the
most advanced cancer therapies such as stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS),
stereotactic radiation therapy (SRT (http://www.elekta.com/srt )) and
Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy (VMAT (http://www.elekta.com/vmat )). Further,
with a new lower radiation leakage design, research has shown Agility can
significantly reduce the patient’s non-therapeutic radiation exposure as
compared to other conventional MLC’s.[1]

"Culminating from years of close collaboration with our worldwide clinical
partners, we are extremely proud to introduce Agility in Japan," says Tim
Rooney, President & Managing Director, Elekta KK. "With Agility, not only will
treatment times be faster, but patients also will benefit from this solution’s
enhanced targeting capabilities, which are expected to improve treatment
outcomes and reduce the risk of complications. The promise of these critical
patient benefits has generated a great deal of interest in the Japanese
radiation oncology community, which we predict will result in rapid adoption of
this technology."

Soon after Elekta received CE marking for Agility, permitting sales of the
device in Europe, clinicians there began reporting significant gains in
beam-shaping ability and delivery speed. Shorter treatment times have resulted
in increased patient comfort and convenience, as well as improved the ability
for caregivers to treat more patients each day.

Agility features include:

— 160 tungsten leaves, each 5 mm wide, with a leaf speed of up to 6.5
cm/sec
— Dedicated Integrity(TM) R3.0 software, Elekta’s seventh generation
digital control system, to precisely coordinate leaf movements with
variable dose delivery rates and other treatment parameters
— Integrated dynamic leaf guides streamline delivery and eliminate the
need for "split fields," commonly required with other MLC systems
— Large-field MLC will enable clinicians to shape radiation across fields
of up to 40 X 40 cm

*Agility is not licensed for sale in all markets. Please contact your local
representative for details

[1] Cosgrove, VP, Thompson, C, Chrisophides, D et al. (2009) Physical
characterization of a new concept design of an Elekta Radiation Head with
integrated 160-leaf multi-leaf collimator. Poster presented at ASTRO 2009.

For further information, please contact:
Stina Thorman, Vice President Corporate Communications, Elekta AB
Tel: +46 8 587 254 37, email: stina.thorman@elekta.com
Time zone: CET: Central European Time

Michelle Joiner, Director, Global Public Relations and Brand Management,
Elekta
Tel: +1 770-670-2447, email: michelle.joiner@elekta.com
Time zone: ET: Eastern Time

About Elekta
Elekta is a human care company pioneering significant innovations and
clinical solutions for treating cancer and brain disorders. The company
develops sophisticated, state-of-the-art tools and treatment planning systems
for radiation therapy, radiosurgery and brachytherapy, as well as workflow
enhancing software systems across the spectrum of cancer care. Stretching the
boundaries of science and technology, providing intelligent and
resource-efficient solutions that offer confidence to both healthcare providers
and patients, Elekta aims to improve, prolong and even save patient lives.

Today, Elekta solutions in oncology and neurosurgery are used in over 6,000
hospitals worldwide. Elekta employs around 3,300 employees globally. The
corporate headquarters is located in Stockholm, Sweden, and the company is
listed on the Nordic Exchange under the ticker EKTAb. Website:

http://www.elekta.com.

SOURCE: Elekta