FDA clears Syncor’s brachytherapy seeds

Radiopharmaceutical firm Syncor International received 510(k) clearance from the Food and Drug Administration last month for its iodine-125 seeds, the company’s first product in a line of radioactive implants for treatment of prostate cancer.

Woodland Hills, CA-based Syncor began to develop the seeds seven months ago, and will market its brachytherapy seed products in the U.S. under the trade name PharmaSeed, according to Robert Funari, president and CEO. In the pipeline is a product using palladium-103, for use with more aggressive tumors.

In other Syncor news, the company plans to begin a stock repurchase program it announced in July. Syncor has 500,800 shares authorized for purchase. When it will begin buying shares and how many it will buy has not been determined.