Theragenics Sheds Plasma Separation Business To Focus On Brachytherapy
This article was originally published in The Gray Sheet
Executive Summary
Theragenics will end its radiochemical and plasma separation activities to focus on expanding its brachytherapy and CP Medical businesses
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People In Brief
Cyberonics board shuffle: Stockholders elect Houston investor Hugh Morrison as chairman and Alfred Novak, Arthur Rosenthal and Jeffrey Schwarz as new members of the board Feb. 1. Incumbent board chairman Tony Coelho and members Kevin Moore and Stanley Appel resign. Both the additions and the resignations were called for by the "Committee for Concerned Cyberonics, Inc. Shareholders" and hedge fund Metropolitan Capital Advisors, 7.33% shareholders of Cyberonics, in a heated proxy battle with Cyberonics' former board. Morrison has been on the Cyberonics board since November 2006 and served on the board of Advanced Neuromodulation Systems from 1983 until its sale to St. Jude Medical in 2005. Novak and Rosenthal have held executive positions at Cordis and Boston Scientific, respectively, and Schwarz has been CEO of Metropolitan Capital Advisors since 1992..
People In Brief
Cyberonics board shuffle: Stockholders elect Houston investor Hugh Morrison as chairman and Alfred Novak, Arthur Rosenthal and Jeffrey Schwarz as new members of the board Feb. 1. Incumbent board chairman Tony Coelho and members Kevin Moore and Stanley Appel resign. Both the additions and the resignations were called for by the "Committee for Concerned Cyberonics, Inc. Shareholders" and hedge fund Metropolitan Capital Advisors, 7.33% shareholders of Cyberonics, in a heated proxy battle with Cyberonics' former board. Morrison has been on the Cyberonics board since November 2006 and served on the board of Advanced Neuromodulation Systems from 1983 until its sale to St. Jude Medical in 2005. Novak and Rosenthal have held executive positions at Cordis and Boston Scientific, respectively, and Schwarz has been CEO of Metropolitan Capital Advisors since 1992..
Palladium proves superior in brachytherapy
A study of 5,889 patients over 15 years reveals that pellet formula and isotope make a significant difference in the prognosis for prostate cancer patients treated with brachytherapy, Theragenics reports Dec. 4. The firm manufactures the palladium-103 TheraSeed device used to implant pellets that emit radiation, which kills localized prostate cancer cells. The study showed better outcomes for patients treated with palladium over iodine, according to Louis Potters, MD, who presented the results during the 48 American Society of Therapeutic Radiation Oncologists meeting in Philadelphia. The study also showed that a patient's disease characteristics, quantified by Gleason score and PSA level, can predict patient outcomes nine years out. Theragenics restructured in 2005 to focus on TheraSeed and other products acquired in its May 2005 purchase of CP Medical (1"The Gray Sheet" Aug. 15, 2005, p. 17)...