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美国Endocare公司将全面收购CMS公司低温治疗业务
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自上个世纪五十年代以来，美国在低温医学和冷冻治疗肿瘤领域一直保持着世界领先的地位，无论是在临床和基础研究方面，还是在相应的仪器设备制造方面。
尤其是在八十年代中期以来，美国CMS公司（Cryomedical Sciences, Inc.）制造的液氮低温冷冻设备，击败了所有竞争对手，在美国及世界市场上独占熬头。CMS液氮低温冷冻设备也成了市场上最著名和几乎唯一的品牌（意大利Franco
Lugnani医生和Fabrizio Zanconati教授语）。CMS公司仅在美国就建立了上百家低温治疗中心。
CMS公司的垄断地位在二十世纪九十年代末期才受到强有力的挑战 - 结合了太空技术、运用全新制冷和制热方式的氩氦刀的发明和迅速走红。美国的医师惊喜的发现氩氦刀具有快速冷冻和加热（因而治疗彻底）、使用方便安全、靶向微创等特点。这新一代的设备在美国和海外市场得到迅速普及，目前在美国就有200家医院使用。随着氩氦刀的普及，CMS液氮低温冷冻设备的销售处于几乎停滞的状态。
2002年5月29日，美国氩氦刀制造商Endocare公司全面收购了CMS公司的低温冷冻设备业务和在美国的100余家临床基地（见下面新闻）。这不仅极大的扩展氩氦刀的市场占有率，也为液氮低温冷冻设备的时代划上了一个圆满的句号。
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Wednesday May 29, 10:04
am Eastern Time
Endocare to Acquire Cryoablation Business of Cryomedical Sciences,
Inc.
Installed Base, License Agreements and Robust Intellectual
Property Highlight Endocare Purchase
IRVINE, Calif., May 29 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Endocare
Inc. (Nasdaq: ENDO - News), a developer
of innovative diagnostic and treatment tools for cancer and
other diseases, announced today that it has executed a definitive
agreement to acquire the cryosurgical business line and assets
of Kennesaw, GA-based Cryomedical Sciences, Inc. (OTC Bulletin
Board: CRYM - News; CMS), a medical
device manufacturer with significant experience in cryosurgical
methods and devices which ablate tissue in minimally invasive
procedures. In the transaction, Endocare will assume ownership
of all of the cryosurgical assets of CMS, including installed
base, regulatory approvals, and intellectual property including
12 issued and pending patents in exchange for $2.2 million in
cash and approximately 120,000 shares of its Common Stock. The
consummation of the transaction is expected to occur in late
June, and is subject to various customary conditions to closing.
Cryomedical Sciences, Inc. has marketed its CMS AccuProbe?
systems and single-patient use CMS cryoprobes since 1991 through
a direct sales force and distributors. It currently has an installed
base of more than 100 devices including approximately 30 active
cryosurgery centers throughout the United States.
Endocare Chairman and CEO Paul Mikus said, "The benefits
of this acquisition are primarily strategic but it will have
a positive impact on near-term revenues as well. CMS has an
active installed base that we can build upon by offering the
advantage of the Cryocare? technology and the benefits of our
physician and patient support organization. In addition the
patents and other intellectual property that we have acquired
in the transaction will serve to further protect our position
as the market leader in the prostate cryoablation market and
will bolster the strength of our supply chain for the manufacture
of our products.
Cryomedical Sciences President and CEO Andrew Greuling stated,
"Combining the proprietary aspects of the AccuProbe technology
with the Endocare's proven applications and world-class marketing
and support groups will certainly provide considerable value
to the Endocare organization and will also add fuel to the continued
growth of cryoablation as an important primary treatment for
prostate cancer."
About Endocare
Endocare Inc. -- www.endocare.com -- is a medical device company
focused on the development of urological healthcare technologies
with the potential to dramatically improve men's health and
quality of life. Endocare has initially concentrated on developing
devices for the treatment of the two most common diseases of
the prostate, prostate cancer and benign prostate hyperplasia
(BPH). Endocare also believes that its proprietary cryosurgical
technologies have broad applications across a number of surgical
markets, including treating tumors in the kidney, lung, breast,
liver and bones, as well as treatment of cardiac arrhythmia.
Timm Medical Technologies, Inc., acquired by Endocare in late
February, offers urology products, including an innovative office-based
treatment of BPH, as well as a number of products that diagnose
and treat urinary incontinence and erectile dysfunction. The
Endocare product line now consists of products to diagnose and
treat prostate cancer, to diagnose and treat BPH, and to diagnose
and/or manage urinary incontinence, sexual dysfunction and bladder
cancer.
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