13th Feb 2006 10:48
Medical Solutions PLC13 February 2006 Medical Solutions plc ("Medical Solutions") Medical Solutions wins LBC agreement worth £600,000 Medical Solutions, the provider of pathology-based products and services to thehealthcare and pharmaceuticals sector, announces that the Hereford and TelfordProcessing and Screening Laboratories Network have chosen to use SurePath fortheir Liquid Based Cytology (LBC) requirements. Sales are anticipated to be approximately £600,000 over the five year term ofthe agreement. During the conversion to SurePath, there will be a gradual buildup over time to a full run rate level. This agreement brings Medical Solutions total share of the LBC market in Englandand Wales to over 39% compared to the 40% target we announced at the time of ourInterim Results in September. Based on other ongoing discussions, the Board isnow increasingly confident that Medical Solutions will exceed the 40% marketshare target in due course. For further information: Medical SolutionsCharles Green/Neil Johnston 0115 973 9010 Bell PottingerGeoff Callow/Chris Hamilton 020 7861 3877 Notes to Editors Medical Solutions is Britain's largest tissue diagnostics company with advancedtechnology in image analysis, virtual microscopy and quantitative biomarkerdetermination. Its service division has established ethical, fully consentedtissue banks, created a network of over 90 specialist pathologists to providereporting services to both the NHS and the private sector, the provision ofliquid based cytology systems and most recently a drug development serviceinvolving tissue analysis for molecularly targeted anti-cancer agents. Cytology ScreeningThe current screening programme is based on the 'Pap' smear test. During a smeara sample of cells is collected from the woman's cervix (neck of the womb) usinga disposable spatula device. The smear usually takes place at the GP surgery, orin a community clinic. The sample collected is spread on to a glass slide andsprayed with, or dipped in a liquid to fix the sample onto the slide. The slideis then sent to a hospital laboratory for examination by a cytologist. Thehospital laboratory examines the sample with a microscope to look for cells thatshow signs of pre-cancerous changes. If these types of cell are found, thepatient may be called back for further tests. Some slides cannot be interpretedbecause of various problems and are termed 'inadequate', in which case women areinvited to attend for a repeat test. There are some problems associated with the Pap smear technique related toerrors during acquisition of the smear and the laboratory methodology used toevaluate the specimens produced. There are also relatively high levels of'inadequate' test results.(i.e. slides that cannot be interpreted because ofproblems in their preparation). In addition, significant numbers of Pap smear results are 'borderline' or'mildly abnormal', leading, under current screening policy, to women beingcalled back at a reduced screening interval and possibly having additionalexaminations such as colposcopy and biopsy. Repeat screening and additionaltests cause distress and inconvenience to the women involved and havesignificant cost implications. Liquid Based CytologyLiquid based Cytology (LBC) techniques, offer a new way to prepare the smearsample for examination in the laboratory. LBC, works in a similar fashion to thestandard Pap smear, however with LBC the cell sample is collected using aspecial spatula device that gently brushes cells from the cervix. The head ofthe device is then rinsed or broken off into a vial of preservative fluid withlittle or no loss of material in the original sample. This sample is then sentto the hospital laboratory, where the slide is prepared by the cytology team andexamined. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock ExchangeRelated Shares:
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