Accuray Recognized for Delivering 'World-Class' Customer Service

SUNNYVALE, Calif., Feb. 29, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Accuray Incorporated ARAY -1.74% , the premier radiation oncology company, announced today that it has received the NorthFace ScoreBoard Award(SM) (NFSB Award) from Omega Management Group Corp. (Omega) in recognition of achieving excellence in customer service and support in 2011. In addition to getting exceptional ratings for customer satisfaction, Accuray is the first organization also to qualify for outstanding customer loyalty based on its Net Promoter ScoreTM (NPS) under a new NFSB-NPS methodology Omega announced on Dec. 6, 2011. 

Since 2000, the NFSB Award has been presented annually to companies that, as rated solely by their own customers, exceeded expectations in customer service and support during the prior calendar year. 

"The NorthFace ScoreBoard Award recognizes organizations that not only offer exemplary customer service, but who also center their existence on a deep commitment to exceeding customer expectations," said John Alexander Maraganis, founder, president and CEO of Omega. "There is no award designed specifically for NPS users that recognizes such achievement at this high level, so we are pleased to welcome Accuray to the elite group of NFSB Award recipients." 

source: PR Newswire

Apeiron Initiates Clinical Study to Investigate Prevention of Radiation-Induced Skin Damage in Breast Cancer Patients

Vienna, 27th February 2012: APEIRON Biologics AG (Apeiron) today announced that a clinical trial has started with the agent superoxide dismutase (project APN201) to investigate its potential for prevention of radiation dermatitis in breast cancer patients.

Today, Apeiron announced that a clinical trial has started with a liposomal topical formulation of the enzyme human recombinant superoxide dismutase (project APN201) at the University Hospital for Radiation Therapy / Radio-oncology of the Medical University Graz. APN201 is being developed clinically in collaboration with the Austrian contract manufacturer Polymun Scientific. The double blind, placebo-controlled study is conducted at a single center and shall enroll 20 breast cancer patients that receive radiation therapy after breast-preserving surgery.

Superoxide dismutase (SOD) is an enzyme that degrades and renders harmless highly reactive oxygen radicals that occur, amongst other situations, during radiotherapy of cancer. This pilot study aims at investigation of safety and tolerability of topical APN201 as well as hints for efficacy to prevent radiation dermatitis in breast cancer patients that undergo radiotherapy after surgery. In general, about fifty percent of cancer patients receive radiotherapy (in addition to chemotherapy, surgery and other therapies). Often, concomitant skin damage occurs which is comparable to burns. This radiation dermatitis can be severe and even lead to discontinuation of radiotherapy. Today, radiation dermatitis is mainly treated symptomatically with skin creams.

source: PharmaLive

Soligenix Announces Results From Its Phase 1/2 Clinical Trial of SGX201 for the Prevention of Acute Radiation Enteritis

PRINCETON, N.J., Feb. 10, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Soligenix, Inc. (OTCBB: SNGXD) (Soligenix or the Company), a development stage biopharmaceutical company, announced preliminary results today from a Phase 1/2 clinical trial evaluating SGX201, a time-release formulation of oral beclomethasone 17,21-dipropionate (oral BDP), for the prevention of acute radiation enteritis.

The Phase 1/2 protocol BDP-ENT-01 was designed as an open label, randomized, dose-finding study at five centers. Sixteen patients with rectal cancer scheduled to undergo concurrent radiation and chemotherapy prior to surgery were enrolled in one of four dose groups, with dosing administered throughout the duration of radiation therapy plus one week. The primary objective of the study was to evaluate the safety and tolerability of escalating doses of SGX201, as well as to assess the preliminary efficacy of SGX201 for prevention of signs and symptoms of acute radiation enteritis. The study was supported in large part by a two-year Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant award from the National Cancer Institute (NCI), which provided Soligenix with approximately $510,000.

The study demonstrated that oral administration of SGX201 was safe and well tolerated across all four dose groups.  There was also evidence of a potential dose response with respect to diarrhea, nausea and vomiting and the assessment of enteritis according to NCI Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events for selected gastrointestinal events. In addition, the incidence of diarrhea was lower than that seen in recent published historical control data in this patient population.

source: Solagenix

Technique Provides New Option for Breast Reconstruction After Radiation Therapy

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill., Jan 30, 2012 (GlobeNewswire via COMTEX) -- For breast cancer patients who have undergone radiation therapy, a new technique consisting of fat injection followed by implant placement may provide a much-needed alternative for breast reconstruction, reports a study in the February issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery(R), the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS). 

"Fat grafting seems to reduce the radiation-induced complications in implants," according to the authors of the new study, led by Dr. Salgarello Marzja of University Hospital "A. Gemelli" in Rome. With further study, the combination technique may offer women who have undergone radiation therapy an effective new reconstructive option. 

Fat Grafts Provide a 'Bed' for Implant Reconstruction 

Dr. Marzja and colleagues investigated the use of fat grafting to achieve better results with implant-based breast reconstruction after surgery plus radiation therapy for breast cancer. Because of an increased risk of complications, women who have undergone radiation therapy are usually not considered for reconstruction using implants. 

Over a three-year period, researchers used the combination technique in 16 patients who underwent surgery followed by radiation therapy for breast cancer.

source: MarketWatch

Research from the 2012 Genitourinary Cancers Symposium highlights new treatments, compares existing therapies for prostate cancer

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Research on promising new therapies and data on the relative benefits of established treatments for prostate cancer were released today, in advance of the fourth annual Genitourinary Cancers Symposium, being held February 2-4, 2012, at the San Francisco Marriott Marquis in San Francisco, Calif.
The results of five studies were highlighted in a media presscast (press briefing via live webcast):

1) Vigorous Exercise Linked to Expression of Certain Genes in Early-Stage Prostate Cancer: A study shows that men with early-stage prostate cancer who exercise vigorously at least three hours a week have more than 180 genes that are expressed differently in the prostate than those who did not exercise as intensively. These genes include known tumor suppressor genes and DNA repair pathways, suggesting a number of potential mechanisms by which vigorous exercise may help delay cancer progression, as prior studies have shown.

2) IMRT Better Than Conformal Radiation Therapy for Reducing Prostate Cancer Recurrence and Side Effects, May Also Be Superior to Proton Beam Therapy: A large comparative effectiveness study shows that men with localized prostate cancer who are treated with intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) are less likely to experience cancer recurrence or significant side effects from treatment than those who receive conventional conformal radiation therapy (CRT). The analysis also found that proton beam therapy, a newer and more costly form of radiation treatment, did not significantly improve outcomes compared to IMRT.

3) External Beam Radiation Leads to Most Side Effects, Highest Costs of Three Common Prostate Cancer Treatments: An analysis of more than 100,000 prostate cancer patients shows that treatment with external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) resulted in higher long-term toxicities and treatment-related costs than prostatectomy and brachytherapy, two other common treatments for the disease.

4) Novel Investigational Drug Targeting Bone Metastases Improves Survival for Metastatic Prostate Cancer: A randomized, phase III trial shows that a new radiation-emitting agent aimed at treating bone metastases both improved survival and delayed cancer-related bone problems in men with castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). The agent, radium-223 chloride, is the first alpha particle emitting agent targeting bone metastases shown to improve survival in metastatic CRPC.

5) Study Shows New Targeted Drug Improves Overall Survival in Metastatic Prostate Cancer: An international, randomized phase III trial shows for the first time that an investigational oral drug that halts androgen signaling significantly improves overall survival in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer.

source: EurekAlert