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Eckert & Ziegler: first patient treated for Brain cancer using IsoSeed®

Berlin, 07.07.2010. The Berlin-based Eckert & Ziegler Strahlen- und Medizintechnik AG (ISIN DE0005659700), a firm specializing in medical use of radioactivity, has delivered for the first time through its Belgian subsidiary IBt Bebig its product IsoSeed® for the treatment of a brain tumor patient in the Helsinki University Central Hospital, Finland.

Low radioactive, miniaturized seeds are used for brachytherapy, a treatment method where the radiation source is placed inside or next to the area requiring treatment. The intracerebral implantation of Iodine-125 seeds through a stereotactic guiding system puts seeds in an exactly defined tumor volume where they fight directly the tumor while sparing the healthy tissue. Compared to conventional radiation therapy techniques the use of radioactive implants shows significant economic and clinical advantages. On the one hand brachytherapy does not require large capital investments in treatment devices, on the other hand the implantation of seeds results in a significantly prolonged survival. The miniaturized IsoSeed® is today mostly used to treat early stage prostate cancer but is also registered for the treatment of other tumors.

"We are proud to see such a prestigious institution using our seeds. Like for the Breast Brachytherapy potential we were announcing recently, we look forward for the growing interest towards using IBt Bebig seeds for brain tumors. IBt Bebig is committed to help finding new ways to use brachytherapy as a treatment option", said Dr. Edgar Löffler, member of the Board of Directors and reponsible for the Therapy segment.

The Eckert & Ziegler Group, with around 520 employees, is one of the world's largest providers of isotope technology components for radiotherapy and nuclear medicine.

The Board of Directors