Medifocus Inc. Announces the Engagement of Tanaka Kapec Design Group, Inc. as Lead Designer of Next Generation of Prolieve® Thermodilatation System
COLUMBIA, Md. and Toronto, ON- January 11, 2016 – Medifocus, Inc. (OTCQX: MDFZF and TSXV: MFS) (Medifocus or the Company), a biotechnology company with a portfolio of medical products encompassing thermotherapy systems for the treatment of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) and Breast Cancer, and Heat Activated Tumor Targeted Immunotherapy and Gene Therapy, today announced that the Company has engaged Tanaka Kapec Design Group, Inc. (TKDG) as lead designer for the Company’s next generation Prolieve® Thermodilatation System for treatment of BPH.
BPH is a medical condition that affects over 50% of men over the age of 50, and a large percentage of them will not meet treatment goals on oral medication alone. Prolieve® was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for commercialization in 2004 and has been a valuable treatment option for more than 100,000 patients in the U.S. Prolieve® is the only Transurethral Microwave Therapy (TUMT) system equipped with a patented dilating balloon that simultaneous cools and compresses the prostatic urethra and dilates the enlarged prostate. This unique combinational therapy provides both immediate and long-term relief of BPH-related symptoms in a safe, 45-minute, in-office procedure and allows 95% of patients to go home without an indwelling catheter.
Dr. Augustine Y. Cheung, CEO of Medifocus, commented, “We are pleased to have the industrial engineering expertise of Tanaka Kapec Design Group, Inc. to help us design the next generation Prolieve® console. The focus of the redesign is to deliver a console that integrates the best technical and engineering innovations available today while also providing an even better treatment experience to patients. We are taking important steps to position Medifocus to fulfill the unmet needs of the growing BPH market worldwide and to position Prolieve® for entry into geographies around the world. We believe the Prolieve® therapy offers a more patient-friendly alternative to medications and other more invasive surgeries without the associated side effects and complications, respectively.”
Mr. Jeffrey Kapec, Exec VP and Principal of Kapec Design Group, said, “As designers of the original Prolieve system, we are excited to bring our design and engineering expertise and experience to assist Medifocus in the creation of the next generation of Prolieve. The new design will bring about a new elegant package which will enhance the physician’s experience with the overall system and usability.”
About Medifocus, Inc.:
Medifocus, Inc. (TSX VENTURE: MFS) (OTCQX: MDFZF) is a biotechnology company with a portfolio of medical technologies that utilize heat activation to treat conditions ranging from prostate diseases to breast cancer and extends to gene therapy. Heat is known to accelerate numerous chemical and biochemical reactions, and Medifocus’ portfolio relies on this fact to improve clinical outcome. Its Prolieve® Thermodilatation System offers relief from Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) to millions of men with a simple, 45-minute, in-office treatment. Its APA 1000 Breast Cancer Treatment System is currently in phase 3 clinical trials, and it is designed to destroy localized breast tumors through the application of heat alone or in combination with chemotherapy. Medifocus has formally entered into an exclusive license agreement with Duke University to the Patent Rights of a “method for selective expression of therapeutic genes in cancer cells by hyperthermia” to develop Heat-Activated and Tumor-Targeted Immunotherapy and Gene Therapy. This is a novel approach to control expression of anti-cancer genes intratumorally with focused heat and is a unique method to achieve precise viral delivery of gene therapy and molecular therapeutics on demand. Medifocus will work on further development of other focused heat devices and delivery vector, making it universal to accommodate other molecular and genetic therapeutics. The Company believes this could result in an entire stable of gene-specific, heat-activated treatments for a variety of medical conditions.
Please visit
www.medifocusinc.com, www.prolieve.com and //www.facebook.com/pages/Medifocus-Inc-Company-Page/546315028715627 for more details.
Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains “forward-looking statements” and “forward-looking information”, which may not be based on historical facts. Forward-looking statements and forward-looking information, include, but are not limited to, information and statements with respect to the benefit to Medifocus’ future growth resulting from the acquisition of additional intellectual property rights, additional treatment possibilities and the expectation that sales from Prolieve® may accelerate as a consequence. Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as “plan,” “expect,” “project,” “intend,” “believe,” “anticipate”, “estimate” and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions “may” or “will” occur. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the statements are made. Such forward-looking statements and forward-looking information involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results events or developments to be materially different from any future results, events or developments expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or forward-looking information. These factors should be considered carefully and readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. Except as required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any obligation to update any such factors or to publicly announce the results of any revisions to any of the forward-looking statements or forward-looking information contained herein to reflect future results, events or developments.
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Company Relations: John Mon, COO, Medifocus, Inc. Tel: 410-290-5734 jmon@medifocusinc.com
Investor Relations: Michael Porter, President, Porter, LeVay and Rose, Tel: 212-564-4700, Mike@plrinvest.com