Press Release
Synergis Invests into Next Generation
Cancer Detection Technology
14th March 2007
Synergis Technologies Ltd. has today announced that it has led a venture capital syndicate investing into Petrra Ltd. Petrra has devised a positron emission tomography camera that can diagnose heart disease and cancer more accurately and faster than current cameras, and at a lower expense to the healthcare system.
Petrra is a company focused on redefining the Positron Emission Tomography (PET) market by providing a lower-cost, higher-speed, higher-throughput detection system. The device used for PET imaging is known as a positron camera.
PET technology uses specially designed radioactive tracers which provide diagnostic images of organs in the body and help diagnose cancer, plus other conditions. The tracers are injected into the body and then picked up by a scanner, which translates the images into 2D form.
Petrra’s unique, patented approach to PET is based on technology developed for radiation detection used in high energy physics. For clinical use, this requires a high detection efficiency for the recognition of the gamma rays produced as well as excellent spatial and timing resolution.
Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) is the most common cause of death in the UK. Around one in five men and one in six women will die from the disease this year. In addition, CHD costs the health care system in the UK around £1.6 billion annually. In the United States, CHD causes well over 500,000 deaths annually and is the single leading cause of death in America today.
More than one in three people in England will develop cancer at some stage in their lives. One in four will die of cancer. This means that, every year, over 200,000 people are diagnosed with cancer, and around 120,000 people die from cancer. So, better prevention and detection is a national priority. The British National Cancer Director, Mike Richards recently stated that a key area of the cancer reform strategy currently being formulated is awareness and early detection.
Petrra is backed by significant technology from the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (RAL) and the Royal Marsden Hospital in London (RMH). RAL has a long and distinguished history in the development of radiation detectors, primarily for use in high energy physics. RMH is one of the world’s premier cancer research hospitals. Petrra is backed by a strong Board, consisting of several well-renowned personnel in the health care technology field.
Shimi Shah, CEO, Synergis Technologies stated, "This is an exciting investment and we look forward to being a part of the development of this next generation technology. The use of PET scanners looks set to achieve rapid growth both in Europe and the US for the use in both oncology and cardiac monitoring, with Bio-Tech Systems estimating that global sales are growing at a current rate of 15% a year worldwide."
" The Petrra detector provides the capability to separately measure the energy, timing and position of each event detected, which will facilitate the use of advanced data processing techniques when used for the diagnosis of cardiac and cancer related illnesses," said Ian Buckley-Golder, Non Executive Chairman, Petrra. "We are very pleased about working with Synergis in future on providing cheaper, more productive and possibly better quality PET images."
Bio-Tech Systems specializes in market research and strategic planning
in the healthcare field with expertise in medical imaging and radioisotopes.
- Ends -
For further information on Synergis Technologies Ltd. and all other media
enquiries, please contact:
Shimi Shah, Interim CEO or Elizabeth Martens, PR Manager
Tel: +44 (0) 207 932 0727
Email: pr@synergistechnologies.com
www.synergistechnologies.com
For further information on Petrra Ltd. and all other media enquiries, please
contact:
Ian Buckley-Golder, Non-Executive Chairman CEO or Natalie Bealing, Press
and PR Manager
Tel: + 44 (0) 1235 751582
Email: info@PETRRA.com
www.petrra.com
NOTES TO EDITORS
Synergis Technologies Ltd. is as an investment vehicle
providing seed and early stage funds to help turn innovative research
from universities and leading Public Sector Research Establishments
(PSRE's) into significant commercial value. Many aspects of the commercialisation
process are difficult and new, from setting strategy to obtaining secure
funding. Synergis provides funds to bridge this gap, and through proactive
portfolio management helps build strategic value in the businesses
it invests in. In addition Synergis is almost unique in its ability
to provide access to follow on funding through its parent company,
Porton Capital. The financing capability of Synergis and Porton Capital
means that the companies in which they invest can grow without funding
constraints.
With its head offices in London, Synergis offers early stage and follow on funding for start-ups. With a dedicated team made up of former scientists, investment professionals, commercialisation directors and entrepreneurs, Synergis is able to understand the challenges faced by start-ups. Acting initially as an advisor to Porton Capital’s Synergis Seed Fund (SSF), Synergis is in the process of making investments on its own balance sheet.