InSightec Ltd. today reported success in a clinical trial of its noninvasive focused ultrasound ExAblate Neuro system to treat chronic neurological disorders. The trial of 30 patients in Switzerland and the US tested the device's safety and initial efficacy in the treatment of essential tremor, neuropathic pain and Parkinson’s disease.
ExAblate Neuro is the first clinical system to use MR guided focused ultrasound through an intact skull, combining focused ultrasound and real time MR guidance and control, to treat tissue deep in the brain without incisions or cutting or ionizing radiation. The system is limited to investigational use.
InSightec will conduct more trials to evaluate the technology's ability to reduce the risk of complications and side-effects, and to see whether it could provide treatment for individuals for whom surgery is currently not an option, or refuse an intervention of the brain. InSightec plans to additional clinical trials of the ExAblate Neuro for brain tumors, stroke and targeted drug delivery to the brain.
InSightec VP of R&D Eyal Zadicario said, "The concept of using focused ultrasound for non-invasive treatment of brain disorders has been recognized for many years, however, vast technical barriers had to be overcome to enable this modality to become a reality." He added, "ExAblate Neuro has demonstrated the ability to ablate targets deep in the brain with high precision. The initial results have been encouraging. This gives us hope that this treatment alternative could in the future become a significant addition to the physicians’ armamentarium in treating functional brain diseases."
For patients who do not respond to drug treatments for neurological disorders, procedures include deep brain stimulation, radiofrequency ablation, radiosurgery which are either invasive or involve ionizing radiation. These are associated with recognized risks: either high doses of ionizing radiation or high risk of complications and side effects.
Mordechay Zisser controls Insightec through Elbit Imaging Ltd. (Nasdaq: EMITF; TASE: EMIT) subsidiary Elbit Medical Technologies Ltd. (TASE:EMTC). Elbit Imaging rose 8.2% on Nasdaq yesterday to $2.37, giving a market cap of $60 million, and rose 3.3% by midday on the TASE today to NIS 8.42. Elbit Medical's share price rose 0.6% to NIS 0.17, giving a market cap of NIS 132 million.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on September 21, 2011
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