Country for PR: United Kingdom
Contributor: PR Newswire Europe
Wednesday, September 02 2020 - 03:47
AsiaNet
INSIGHTEC MR-Guided Focused Ultrasound Receives Reimbursement from Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare for the Treatment of Parkinson's Disease
HAIFA, Israel and MIAMI, Sept. 2, 2020 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ --

INSIGHTEC(R), a global medical technology innovator of incisionless surgery, 
today announced that it has received national reimbursement from the Japanese 
Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) for treating Parkinson's Disease.
 
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Parkinson's Disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder with an 
incidence in Japan of 1 in 100 people above the age of 60, based on a survey 
conducted by MHLW. INSIGHTEC's Exablate(R) Neuro uses focused ultrasound waves 
to precisely target and ablate tissue deep within the brain with no incisions. 
The treatment is performed under Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) guidance for 
real-time treatment monitoring.  

"Parkinson's Disease patients now have a new incisionless surgical treatment 
option, focused ultrasound," commented Professor Takaomi Taira, Director of 
Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery, Department of Neurosurgery, Tokyo 
Women's Medical University (TWMU), Tokyo, Japan. "Using focused ultrasound we 
can precisely target and treat the brain regions which contribute to 
improvements of the patient's symptoms."

Exablate Neuro is approved for targeting the thalamus for treating 
Tremor-dominant Parkinson's Disease, and the globus pallidum for treating 
advanced Parkinson's Disease in patients suffering from mobility, rigidity, or 
dyskinesia symptoms.

"Japan is the first country in the world to cover focused ultrasound for 
Parkinson's Disease with nationwide public health insurance," commented Maurice 
R. Ferre MD, INSIGHTEC CEO and Chairman of the Board of Directors. "This is a 
major milestone for patients with Parkinson's Disease across Japan."

The Exablate Neuro device received MHLW approval for the treatment of 
medication-refractory essential tremor and National Health Insurance coverage 
in June 2019 and received a pre-market approval (PMA) for the treatment of 
Parkinson's Disease in January 2020. There are currently 12 medical 
institutions in Japan performing the MR-guided focused ultrasound treatment for 
essential tremor on a routine basis. 

"This extended coverage by the National Health Insurance provides an 
incisionless treatment option for Parkinson's Disease patients," said Yair 
Bauer, Country Manager, INSIGHTEC Japan. "This adds to the existing coverage 
for treatment of tremor from essential tremor and Parkinson's Disease," he added

About INSIGHTEC Japan K.K.
INSIGHTEC Japan K.K. is a subsidiary of INSIGHTEC LTD. The company is the 
regulatory market approval holder of Exablate Neuro (Exablate 4000) and its 
distributor in Japan. Founded in 2005, its mission is to provide focused 
ultrasound treatments for neurosurgery and women's health indications, in order 
to significantly improve the quality of life for patients in Japan. For more 
information please visit: www.insightec.com/JP 

About INSIGHTEC
INSIGHTEC is a global medical technology innovator transforming patient lives 
through incisionless brain surgery with MR-guided focused ultrasound. Research 
for future applications in the neuroscience space is underway in partnership 
with leading academic and medical institutions. INSIGHTEC is headquartered in 
Haifa, Israel, and Miami, with offices in Dallas, Shanghai and Tokyo.

For more information, please visit: www.insightec.com  

Contact:  Lyndsay Isaksen, 917-595-3032, lisaksen@gscommunications.com

Source:  INSIGHTEC