STOCKHOLM, Sweden, June 3, 2005 (PRIMEZONE) -- In conjunction with a focused effort to improve quality and capacity of cancer treatment in Venezuela, coordinated by the Argentinean healthcare contractor INVAP, S.E., Elekta has been chosen to supply 10 Venezuelan hospitals with state-of-the-art systems for radiation therapy of cancer. The order, valued at over 100 MSEK was booked in April and 2 systems have already been delivered under the contract. The remaining 8 systems will be delivered during 2005 and 2006.
"We are proud to receive this prestigious assignment and pleased that we can be part in the improvement of cancer care in Venezuela," says Tomas Puusepp, President & CEO of Elekta, and continues; "National programs to improve the treatment capacity are key factors for previously underserved countries to meet demand for radiation therapy. This commitment to improve cancer care in Venezuela may very well also serve as a model for future Elekta efforts to support health care improvements on a national level."
Elekta was selected by the future users based on technological leadership, not least within image guided radiation therapy (IGRT). This together with Elekta's ability to procure clinical training in Spain and Argentina and the company's strong commitment to the overall development of radiation therapy in Venezuela, proved Elekta to be the ideal partner in this project.
"This purchase is undoubtedly the most important purchasing decision ever taken in the oncology field in the Venezuelan public health care system," says Jose R. Sanchez, Elekta's Business Unit Manager for Spain & Latin America. "It is a great effort from the government aimed to expand and modernize the installed base of radiation therapy equipment and provide adequate cancer treatment also to remote populations in Venezuela. Elekta is supporting and encouraging these efforts and is strongly committed to the development of the radiation therapy specialty in Venezuela."
"In making this possible, our long time Argentinean partner INVAP, S.E. has been the key catalyst, contributing with their long and positive experience in managing important turn-key projects all over the world, i.e. India, Egypt, Brazil and Argentina, within radiation therapy but also in the nuclear industry field. The mutual confidence between INVAP and Elekta, built during several years of close cooperation in the Argentinean market, made it possible for us to finalize this exciting but complex project," ends Jose R. Sanchez.
About Elekta
Elekta is an international medical-technology Group, providing meaningful clinical solutions, comprehensive information systems and services for improved cancer care and management of brain disorders. All of Elekta's solutions employ non-invasive or minimally invasive techniques and are therefore clinically effective, gentle on the patient and cost-effective.
Clinical solutions include among others Leksell Gamma Knife(r) for non-invasive treatment of brain disorders and Elekta Synergy(r) for image guided radiation therapy (IGRT). Following the acquisition of IMPAC Medical Systems Inc. in April 2005, The Elekta Group is the world's largest supplier of oncology software.
Elekta's systems and solutions are used at over 3,000 hospitals around the world to treat cancer and manage clinical operations as well as to diagnose and treat brain disorders, including tumors, vascular malformations and functional disorders.
With approx. 1700 employees, Elekta's corporate headquarter is located in Stockholm, Sweden and the company is listed on the Stockholm Stock Exchange under the ticker EKTAb. For additional information about Elekta, please visit www.elekta.com.
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