BTG to supply DC Bead and Bead Block directly to physicians in Europe from April 2015

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BTG has announced that it will begin selling its drug-eluting bead and embolization products, DC Bead and Bead Block, directly to physicians in 11 European countries from 1 April 2015. These products, developed and manufactured by BTG, are currently sold in Europe by the Terumo Corporation under a contract that expires on 31 March 2015.

BTG announced in May 2014 that it was expanding its commercial presence in Europe by building a direct sales force to promote the approved uses of its products in major European markets, initially to focus on the radioembolisation product TheraSphere. BTG has now decided that this sales force will also sell DC Bead and Bead Block, complementary interventional oncology products, from 1 April 2015.

Other European markets will be serviced by distributors working directly with BTG. BTG will work to ensure an uninterrupted supply of these products in Europe, and will invest in further product innovation and clinical development.

Louise Makin, CEO of BTG, said: “Directly supplying both beads and Therasphere to specialist interventional oncology physicians in Europe will allow us to offer them a unique portfolio of products to treat their patients. Our Interactions with these physicians will also provide us valuable insights into treatment practice and unmet medical needs that will help guide future development efforts. In parallel, we continue to build our commercial and regulatory capabilities in other geographies, including Asia.”

DC Bead is an embolic drug-eluting bead capable of loading and releasing chemotherapeutic agents for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma and liver metastases from colorectal and other cancers.  Bead Block is an embolic device for embolizing blood vessels of a variety of hypervascularised tumours and arteriovenous malformations and is most commonly used for the treatment of uterine fibroids and other benign tumours. Both products are used in minimally invasive procedures performed by an interventional radiologist.

DC Bead and Bead Block both received CE mark approval in Europe in 2003 and have historically been sold in Europe via distributors.  Beginning 1 April 2015, BTG will be selling directly to physicians in Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Switzerland, Spain, and the UK.