LEUVEN, Belgium, Dec. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Mallinckrodt Inc. (NYSE: MKG) has
announced that a new procedure to prevent restenosis following angioplasty was
recently tested on the first patient at University Hospital Gasthuisberg. Dr.
Ivan de Scheerder, an interventional cardiologist, performed the procedure
using the RadioCath(TM) system being developed by Mallinckrodt. This marks
the beginning of pilot clinical trials in Europe and Canada to demonstrate the
safety and performance of the RadioCath(TM) system.
Restenosis results when tissue builds up in an artery after it has been
cleared by coronary angioplasty. Such buildup occurs within six months in
about 40 percent of individuals who undergo angioplasty. In preclinical
trials using pigs, results indicated that the RadioCath(TM) system is
feasible, and that the treatment holds promise for significantly reducing or
preventing restenosis.
The new system combats restenosis with a balloon catheter filled with
Rhenium 186, a radiochemical that emits therapeutic radiation to help prevent
excess tissue growth that can lead to restenosis. Mallinckrodt is a leading
manufacturer and supplier of radiopharmaceuticals and catheters worldwide.
"It's exciting to be the first physician to use RadioCath(TM) in the cath
lab," Dr. de Scheerder said. "I look forward to seeing the results of using
such a promising system to treat patients with coronary artery disease."
Dr. Oye Olukotun, vice president of medical and regulatory affairs for
Mallinckrodt, said, "We anticipate that the system holds great promise for
patients who undergo angioplasty procedures. RadioCath(TM) would be a unique
Mallinckrodt approach to prevent restenosis."
Based in St. Louis, Mo., Mallinckrodt Inc. has three healthcare product
groups -- Imaging, Pharmaceuticals and Respiratory. The company operates in
more than 100 countries and had fiscal 1998 net sales of $2.4 billion. The
Mallinckrodt web site address is http://www.mallinckrodt.com.
SOURCE Mallinckrodt Inc.
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CONTACT:
media, Barbara Abbett, 314-654-5230, or
e-mail, Communications@mkg.comm, or investor, Barbara Gould,
314-654-3190, or e-mail, Invest@mkg.com, both of Mallinckrodt
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