SAN DIEGO, May 14, 2008 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Mauna Kea Technologies, a leader in in vivo cellular imaging, today announced that one oral presentation and four posters on the company's Cellvizio(r) GI technology will be presented at the Digestive Disease Week(r) (DDW) 2008 conference taking place in San Diego, CA, May 17-22. Among the highlights at DDW is an oral presentation "High Resolution Confocal Endomicroscopy Probe System for in vivo Diagnosis of Colorectal Neoplasia," selected as one of six in the Late Breaking Abstract Session. A fundamentally new endoscopic imaging approach, Cellvizio could improve patient care by eliminating unnecessary biopsies and could improve diagnostic rates across a broad range of diseases.
Sacha Loiseau, Ph.D., president and CEO of Mauna Kea Technologies, said, "The clinical data presented at DDW will show how Cellvizio can help physicians more effectively diagnose a broad range of GI diseases including Barrett's esophagus, ulcerative colitis and colorectal cancer, as well as bile duct and pancreatic cancer surveillance through ERCP, a procedure used to diagnose these cancers. We look forward to advancing new indications for Cellvizio."
Cellvizio is the first and only confocal microscopy system that is compatible with all endoscopes and allows physicians to view live tissue inside the body at the cellular level with dynamic, real-time images at 12 frames per second. Over 1,000 Cellvizio procedures have been completed to date. Cellvizio GI has 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration and the European CE-Mark for use in the gastrointestinal and pulmonary tracts.
Following are presentation details. Poster presenters will be available at their poster from 12-2 p.m. on the day of their presentation.
Late-Breaking
Abstract Session: "High Resolution Confocal Endomicroscopy Probe
System for in vivo Diagnosis of Colorectal
Neoplasia"
Lead Investigator: Anna Buchner, M.D., Mayo Clinic; Jacksonville,
Fl., U.S.A.
Date / Time: Tuesday, May 20, 2008 from 2:15-3:45 p.m.
(Embargo lifts during the time of the presentation)
Location: San Diego Convention Center / Room 29
Poster: Detection of Cholangiocarcinoma in-Vivo Using
Miniprobe-Based Confocal Microsopy (S1161)
Lead Investigator: Alexander Meining, Technical University of Munich;
Munich, Germany
Date / Time: Sunday, May 18, 2008 / 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
(Embargo lifts on Sunday, May 18, 2008 at 8:00 a.m.).
Location: San Diego Convention Center / Sails Pavilion
Poster: Accuracy of Miniprobe Confocal Laser Microscopy
for the Detection of Barrett Neoplasia (S1392)
Lead Investigator: Heiko Pohl, VAMC White River Junction; White River
Junction, Vermont, U.S.A.
Date / Time: Sunday, May 18, 2008 / 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
(Embargo lifts on Sunday, May, 18, 2008 at 8:00 a.m.).
Location: San Diego Convention Center / Sails Pavilion
Poster: Miniprobe Based Confocal Fluorescence Microscopy
Is Feasible for Recognition of Histological
Features in-Vivo for the Prediction of Final
Histopathology in Patients with Longstanding
Ulcerative Colitis (S1169)
Lead Investigator: Frank J van den Broek, Academic Medical Center;
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Date / Time: Sunday, May 18, 2008 / 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
(Embargo lifts on Sunday, May 18, 2008 at 8:00 a.m.).
Location: San Diego Convention Center / Sails Pavilion
Poster: Confocal Laser Microscopy (Clm) Guided Endoscopic
Mucosal Resection in Barrett's Esophagus with High
Grade Dysplasia (M1316)
Lead Investigator: Rami J. Badreddine, M.D., Mayo Clinic; Rochester,
MN, U.S.A.
Date / Time: Monday, May 19, 2008 / 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
(Embargo lifts on Monday, May 19, 2008 at 8:00 a.m.).
Location: San Diego Convention Center / Sails Pavilion
About Digestive Disease Week 2008
DDW is the largest international gathering of physicians, researchers and academics in the fields of gastroenterology, hepatology, endoscopy and gastrointestinal surgery. Jointly sponsored by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) Institute, the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy and the Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract, DDW takes place May 17-22, 2008, at the San Diego Convention Center, San Diego, CA. The meeting showcases approximately 5,000 abstracts and hundreds of lectures on the latest advances in GI research, medicine and technology. For more information, visit www.ddw.org.
About Mauna Kea Technologies:
Mauna Kea Technologies leads the growing in vivo cellular imaging market enabling physicians to visualize, diagnose and treat pathologies that can not be seen using other imaging techniques. Mauna Kea Technologies' flagship Cellvizio system provides microscopic visualization of mucosal tissue and promises to improve clinical outcomes by increasing the diagnostic yield of existing endoscopic procedures. With over 1,000 Cellvizio procedures completed to date, Mauna Kea Technologies is currently focused on the gastroenterology and pulmonology markets. The company plans to expand into other markets in the future. The company also has a distribution agreement with Leica Microsystems to sell products for the Small Animal Imaging market in Europe, the U.S. and Japan. For more information about Mauna Kea Technologies: www.maunakeatech.com