Elekta to Showcase Broad Portfolio of Cancer Management Solutions at 2013 Arab Health Congress and Exhibition

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, Jan. 24, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- At the 38^th edition of the Arab Health Congress and Exhibition, 28-31 January, at the Dubai International Convention & Exhibition Centre, Elekta (booth #S2E30) will highlight its comprehensive range of advanced cancer care solutions, including Elekta Compact™, Elekta Synergy®  and Elekta Infinity™ for conventional radiation therapy, and Leksell Gamma Knife® Perfexion™ for stereotactic neurosurgery. In addition, Elekta will showcase its new Agility™ 160-leaf multi-leaf collimator and sophisticated brachytherapy solutions, which are used by 75 percent of brachytherapy clinics in the Middle East region.  

Elekta has shipped Agility to sites in more than 20 countries – including Saudi Arabia – with clinics in Iraq and Turkey scheduled to receive shipment in 2013. Clinicians at these sites are reporting remarkable gains in beam-shaping ability, precision and delivery speed. Shorter treatment times have resulted in increased patient comfort and convenience as well as an improved ability for caregivers to treat more patients daily.

"According to the World Health Organization (WHO), cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide, and the fourth-ranked cause of death in the Middle East region. The largest increase in cancer incidence in the WHO regions in the next 15 years is likely to be in the wider Middle East region," says Nabil Elias Romanos, Elekta's Vice President, Eastern Europe and Middle East. "To meet this need, we have collaborated with leading hospitals and research institutions to develop a solution that can increase patient throughput while delivering exceptional precision. Agility is designed to meet these needs."

"Breaking new ground, Elekta has actively supported Iraq clinics' and Ministry of Health efforts to increase accessibility to advanced cancer management technology, as the country rebuilds its healthcare infrastructure after nearly three decades of wars, embargoes and unrest," Romanos adds. "We particularly are pleased that the prestigious Medical City in Baghdad chose Elekta as its main partner in providing cancer care to the Iraqi people, and for their hosting of a conference in Baghdad on Leksell Gamma Knife Perfexion. This symposium preceded the Iraq-Sweden governmental investment conference, at which Elekta was selected to present as the health care success story in Iraq."

Another example is the groundbreaking new cancer facility in the Maymuna district of western Maysan province that will be a center of attraction in southern Iraq and the country as a whole. To equip this clinic, Elekta will provide two Elekta Synergy Platform systems, MOSAIQ® Oncology Information System and treatment planning technology, which will become clinical in the spring of 2013.

At the Radiation Oncology Center in Suleimaniyah, Kurdistan, Elekta – the only radiotherapy provider in this part of Iraq – installed the clinic's second Elekta Synergy system. The added capacity will help ease the demand for cancer care services in a region of more than 4.5 million inhabitants that draws patients from other parts of Iraq, and where a six-month wait for treatment was common.

Elekta also has committed to helping the country's cancer care infrastructure by providing brachytherapy technology, as well as education and training services. 

*Agility™ and Elekta Compact™ are not available for sale or distribution in all regions. Please contact your local Elekta representative or authorized distributor for further details.

For further information, please contact:
Johan Andersson Melbi, Director, Investor Relations, Elekta AB
Tel: +46 702 100 451, email: [email protected]  
Time zone: CET: Central European Time

Michelle Joiner, Director, Global Public Relations and Brand Management, Elekta
Tel: +1 770-670-2447, email: [email protected]
Time zone: ET: Eastern Time

About Elekta
Elekta is a human care company pioneering significant innovations and clinical solutions for treating cancer and brain disorders. The company develops sophisticated, state-of-the-art tools and treatment planning systems for radiation therapy, radiosurgery and brachytherapy, as well as workflow enhancing software systems across the spectrum of cancer care. Stretching the boundaries of science and technology, providing intelligent and resource-efficient solutions that offer confidence to both healthcare providers and patients, Elekta aims to improve, prolong and even save patient lives.

Today, Elekta solutions in oncology and neurosurgery are used in over 6,000 hospitals worldwide. Elekta employs around 3,400 employees globally. The corporate headquarters is located in Stockholm, Sweden, and the company is listed on the Nordic Exchange under the ticker EKTAb. Website: www.elekta.com.

SOURCE Elekta