TomoTherapy extends French connection

TomoTherapy extends French connection

Centre Oscar Lambret in Lille, France, has begun treating cancer patients with the TomoTherapy Hi•Art treatment system, which uses CT to guide radiotherapy. Centre Oscar Lambret has ordered two such systems. The second is scheduled for installation later this year. Five other centers in France have adopted TomoTherapy's advanced cancer treatment technology: Institut Curie in Paris, Institut Bergonié in Bordeaux, Centre Paul Strauss in Strasbourg, Centre René Gauducheau in Saint Herblain, and Institut Claudius Regaud in Toulouse. Their embrace of the product comes in the wake of a July 2005 call for research proposals launched by the Institut National du Cancer to promote implementation of image-guided radiotherapy.

Epix shakes up business leadership

Chen Schor has resigned as chief business officer of Epix Pharmaceuticals. The company's former head of business development and current vice president of discovery and manufacturing, Sheila DeWitt, Ph.D., will lead the company's business development efforts, according to Epix. Schor became chief business officer in August 2006 following the company's merger with Predix. He was one of the lead investors in Predix Pharmaceuticals when the company incorporated in 2000. Schor will leave Epix effective March 23. His replacement has led efforts to reacquire worldwide rights to the Epix blood-pool MR contrast agent, Vasovist, following the decision of the company to pursue therapeutic agents in the Predix pipeline. DeWitt has also worked on arrangements to monetize rights to Vasovist, following its FDA approval.