ST. LOUIS, Dec. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Mallinckrodt Inc. (NYSE: MKG) has
received clearance to market its new magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) agent,
OptiMARK(TM), from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, company officials
announced today.
OptiMARK is designed for use in MRI diagnostic procedures to provide
increased enhancement and visualization of lesions of the brain, spine and
liver, including tumors.
"This is great news for Mallinckrodt, for the medical community and for
patients," said company Chairman and Chief Executive Officer C. Ray Holman.
"Our mission is to provide better healthcare for patients worldwide, better
value for medical professionals and higher returns for our shareholders.
OptiMARK will help us accomplish these objectives. It is a highly versatile
product for MRI imaging and makes it possible for us to participate in a
significant segment of the healthcare market that is experiencing double-digit
growth."
Bradley J. Fercho, president of Mallinckrodt's Imaging Group, said the
MRI market in which OptiMARK will be sold is over $150 million annually and
is growing at 12 to 15 percent.
"Our objective will be to develop significant market position on the
strength, versatility and efficacy of the product, not on pricing," Fercho
said. He said that the company expects to begin shipping OptiMARK in the
first quarter of 2000.
Mallinckrodt has another MRI product, GastroMARK(R), which facilitates
imaging of the gastrointestinal tract. The company also is a leader in
radiopharmaceuticals for nuclear medicine and contrast media products used for
X-ray, CT and ultrasound imaging procedures.
Based in St. Louis, Mo., Mallinckrodt had fiscal 1999 net sales of
$2.6 billion, operates in more than 100 countries and has three healthcare
product groups -- Imaging, Pharmaceuticals and Respiratory. The company's
website address is ( http://www.mallinckrodt.com ).
SOURCE Mallinckrodt Inc.
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Related links:
http://www.mallinckrodt.com
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http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/440950.html or fax,
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CONTACT:
Media, Barbara Abbett, 314-654-5230, or
barbara.abbett@mkg.com, or Investors, Barbara Gould 314-654-3190,
or Invest@mkg.com, both of Mallinckrodt Inc.
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