Sirtex Medical Inc. Expands Business into Brazil, Experiences Record Growth
09 September 2014 - 12:00AM
Business Wire
First SIR-Spheres® microspheres treatment at
Hospital Sirio-Libanes in Sao Paulo, Brazil
Sirtex Medical Inc., a subsidiary of Sirtex Medical Limited
(ASX:SRX), a leading manufacturer of targeted, liver cancer
therapies, announced today the expansion of its business in Latin
America. Sirtex’s SIR-Spheres® microspheres are now available to
treat inoperable liver tumors in Brazil. The first SIR-Spheres
microspheres treatments took place the first week of September at
Hospital Sirio-Libanes in Sao Paulo. Sirtex received product
approval from the Agência Nacional de Vigilância Sanitária (ANVISA)
for SIR-Spheres microspheres early in 2014.
The announcement comes at a time when the America’s region is
experiencing record growth, having recently announced that dose
sales of SIR-Spheres microspheres grew a solid 22.5 percent, with
more than 5,836 doses being supplied for the fiscal year ending
June 30, 2014.
Brazil represents the largest economy and medical device market
in Latin America. Many thousands of Brazilians will develop liver
tumors. For example, at least 60 percent of the 14,200 Brazilians
diagnosed with colorectal cancer every year will see their cancer
spread to the liver, with many dying of the disease due to lack of
treatment options.1
“Over the last several years we have been meeting with
healthcare professionals and regulatory authorities from Brazil to
identify the market demands and understand the patient needs,”
commented Mike Mangano, president of Sirtex Medical. “The
availability of SIR-Spheres microspheres, at such a world-renowned
institution as Sirio-Libanes in Sao Paulo, provides greater hope to
patients with liver tumors.”
“I am delighted to announce that we have performed the first
SIR-Spheres microspheres treatments in Brazil. I am honored to
represent the entire multidisciplinary team at Sirio-Libanes and
the University of Sao Paulo, as well as our colleagues at Sirtex
who have worked so hard to make this therapy possible,” said Dr.
Francisco Carnevale, chief of the interventional radiology section,
University of Sao Paulo. “In the past, we were able to offer
patients limited targeted liver treatments for cancer. The addition
of SIR-Spheres microspheres is important as we evolve our patient
treatment options. The peer-reviewed literature shows SIR-Spheres
microspheres extend patient survival while maintaining a good
quality of life.”
Dr. Frederico Costa, medical oncologist, Sirio-Libanes, added,
“SIR-Spheres microspheres are another powerful weapon against liver
tumors when integrated as part of a multidisciplinary treatment
plan. Having this treatment available at Sirio-Libanes allows us to
complement our systemic chemotherapy treatments and optimize
patient outcomes.”
Commenting on the financial results, Mangano said, “The
consistent and encouraging growth in the Americas region, with the
first patients now being treated in Brazil, reflects the increased
acceptance of SIR-Spheres microspheres as a key option for
appropriate patients. We continue to invest in our Americas
organization, and will also triple our manufacturing capacity at
our Wilmington, Massachusetts facility by the end of this year. We
expect continued momentum coupled with the highly anticipated
results of the SIRFLOX study in the first quarter of 2015 which we
believe will help fuel our growth.”
Globally, revenue was $129.4 million Australian dollars with
worldwide sales of 8,561 doses, up 17.3 percent in fiscal year
2014, with Asia Pacific reporting growth of 12.4 percent and
Europe, Middle East and Africa increasing 5.6 percent.
For more information, visit www.Sirtex.com or find the latest
updates on the SIR-Spheres microspheres Facebook page
(www.Facebook.com/SIRSpheresmicrospheres).
About the SIRFLOX Study
The SIRFLOX study is an international, multicenter, randomized
controlled study that enrolled over 500 patients with metastatic
colorectal cancer whose disease was inoperable and had spread to
either the liver alone or the liver plus a limited number of sites
outside the liver. The study was conducted in more than 100 centers
in the US, Australia, Europe, Israel, and New Zealand. SIRFLOX is
the first, large randomized controlled study that has examined the
use of selective internal radiation therapy in this patient
group.
About Selective Internal Radiation Therapy using SIR-Spheres
microspheres
Selective Internal Radiation Therapy (SIRT), also known as
radioembolization, is a proven technology for inoperable liver
cancer that delivers doses of radiation directly to the site of
tumors. In a minimally invasive treatment, millions of radioactive
SIR-Spheres microspheres are infused via a catheter into the liver
where they selectively target liver tumors with a dose of internal
radiation up to 40 times higher than conventional radiotherapy,
while sparing healthy tissue.
Clinical studies have confirmed that patients with metastatic
colorectal cancer treated with SIR-Spheres microspheres have
response rates higher than with other forms of treatment, resulting
in increased life expectancy, greater periods without tumor
activity and improved quality of life. SIRT has been found to
shrink liver tumors more than chemotherapy alone.
In the U.S., SIR-Spheres microspheres are indicated for the
treatment of unresectable metastatic liver tumors from primary
colorectal cancer with adjuvant intra-hepatic artery chemotherapy
(IHAC) of FUDR (Floxuridine). SIR-Spheres microspheres are approved
for use in Argentina, Brazil, Australia, the European Union and
several countries in Asia for the treatment of unresectable liver
tumors.
Available at more than 400 treatment centers in the U.S., over
45,000 doses of SIR-Spheres microspheres have been supplied
worldwide.
For more information, visit www.sirtex.com.
SIR-Spheres® is a registered trademark of Sirtex SIR-Spheres Pty
Ltd.
1 Revista Brasileira de Cancerologia 2011; 57(4): 557.
Estimate/2012 – Cancer Incidence in Brazil.
http://www.inca.gov.br/rbc/n_57/v04/pdf/13_resenha_estimativa2012_incidencia_de_cancer_no_brasil.pdf
For Sirtex Medical Inc.Elizabeth Romero,
919-457-0749elizabeth.romero@fleishman.com
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