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news release:
VSM MedTech Awarded Contract to
Provide Fetal MEG System to University of Tübingen
Vancouver, British Columbia, July 13: VSM MedTech Ltd. (TSX:VSM),
a leading supplier of magnetoencephalography (MEG) systems for noninvasive
imaging of brain function, today announced that it has been awarded a contract
to provide a 151-channel fetal MEG (fMEG) investigational device to the
Eberhard-Karls University of Tübingen. The fMEG system, which will be housed at
the Women's Clinic of the University's Gynecology Department, is expected to be
installed in the second quarter of 2006 and will be the first fMEG system
installed in Europe.
Over
the past several years, researchers at the University of Tübingen have
collaborated with clinicians at the site of VSM's first fMEG installation, the
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, where principal investigator Dr.
Curtis Lowery, MD, Director of Maternal-Fetal Medicine has used the device to
develop techniques to help physicians examine high-risk fetuses affected by
maternal hypertension, diabetes and other conditions in hopes of preventing
fetal brain damage such as cerebral palsy. A second VSM fMEG system is being
used by the University of Kansas Medical Center to record in utero fetal cardiac
activity as early as 14 weeks gestational age and monitor the overall
development and well-being of the high-risk fetus.
"Strong
collaboration among VSM's installed base continues to drive clinical innovation
in the MEG market," said Jack Price, President and Chief Executive Officer of
VSM MedTech. "Our commitment to extend our leadership as an MEG clinical
solutions provider is demonstrated by our ongoing development of a fetal MEG
device, industry leading noise-cancellation technology and an open platform that
can take advantage of future clinically focused product upgrades to our MEG
systems."
VSM's
fMEG system, which is currently classified by the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration as an investigational device, measures fetal brain activity in a
totally noninvasive manner both spontaneously and in response to stimuli
transmitted through the mother's abdomen. VSM is the only MEG manufacturer that
offers a dedicated fetal MEG system.
"The
fMEG system will help to obtain a better understanding of sensory and learning
processes during intrauterine development," said Prof. Niels Birbaumer, Head of
the Department of Medical Psychology and the MEG Center at the University of
Tübingen. "In addition, future projects will create new intervention strategies
for early language development, cognitive skills and emotional maturation."
"The
technique is completely harmless for the mother and the fetus," added Prof. Dr.
Diethelm Wallwiener, Chairman of the University Gynecology Department at
Tübingen. "fMEG is the only technology that allows us to non-invasively monitor
fetal brain activity in utero, and in the future we hope to be able to determine
negative events to the fetus like hypoxia in advance and deliver appropriate
treatment."
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