July 13 2000
Veenendaal, 13 July 2000 – Nucletron has launched a major long-term investment programme for the treatment of prostate cancer using the seed implant method, placing small radioactive sources permanently into the prostate. Nucletron is market leader in the field of brachytherapy afterloaders, a treatment method involving the implantation of radioactive sources close to or actually within the tumour to be treated for varying lengths of time (brachy is the Greek word for "nearby". Prostate cancer More than 300,000 new cases of prostate cancer are diagnosed every year in the United States of America and the European Union. This year, the USA alone will spend more than 5 billion dollars on the treatment of prostate cancer. Brachytherapy is the fastest-growing of all the available treatments. This is mainly because 90% of the patients in whom prostate cancer is diagnosed at an early stage can expect to return to a normal life after brachytherapy. In the United States, the treatment is currently used on approximately 15% of patients. This figure is expected to increase to 50% of all prostate cancer treatments. Nucletron and the market The radioactive seeds brachytherapy market is set to grow by around 35% per annum in the United States to reach approximately 275 million dollars in 2002. The European market is still in an early stage of development, but similar growth figures can be expected in this market, too. For Nucletron, which is already market leader in the field of high dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy, investing in seeds brachytherapy is a logical step. According to Bert de Groot, Managing Director of Nucletron and President of the Delft Instruments Executive Board, the in-depth knowledge of brachytherapy and the expertise involved in developing the necessary complex hardware and software place Nucletron in an excellent position to acquire a significant share of this rapidly growing market. Major investments Over the next few years, several tens of millions of guilders will be invested in this programme. The aim is to have the first products ready for launch in the course of 2001. Capital expenditure will be required, for example, to set up a production line for the radioactive seeds and to develop both a Seed Loading Device (SLD) for implanting the seeds in the prostate with the necessary precision and a planning system based on three-dimensional ultrasound scans in order to be able to monitor the correct positioning and to calculate the dose rate. Talks are being held with various specialist companies regarding the necessary capacity for the production of seeds. The SLD will be developed and produced entirely by Nucletron and the 3D ultrasound/planning system is being developed in partnership with Life Imaging Systems of Canada. According to De Groot, ‘The system being developed by Nucletron is unique in that it is an integrated system, enabling the preparation time for the treatment to be reduced considerably. Moreover, the therapist does not come into contact with the radioactive seeds.’ De Groot also believes that, ‘It is strategically important for Nucletron to invest in growth markets and thus to strengthen its position in the field of brachytherapy.’ At the International Brachytherapy Conference in Madrid, to be held on 11-15 November 2000, and which is being sponsored by Nucletron, prostate cancer treatment will be high on the agenda. A number of leading authorities in the field will be presenting papers. ‘We have great expectations for this conference, which will be attended by several hundred radiation-oncologists and urologists.’ Nucletron B.V. is a radiotherapy company specialising in the development and production of the world’s most innovative products in the fight against cancer and their marketing, sale, service and support on a worldwide basis. Nucletron occupies a prominent position in the global radiotherapy market for afterloaders. Nucletron B.V. is a subsidiary of Delft Instruments N.V., the holding company for an international group of companies employing approximately 1100 people with an annual turnover in excess of NLG 400 million.