Varian Medical Systems Signs Multi-Million-Dollar Principal Provider Agreement With The University Of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center | Varian

{ "pageType": "news-article", "title": "Varian Medical Systems Signs Multi-Million-Dollar Principal Provider Agreement With The University Of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center", "articleDate": "June 26, 2003", "introText": "", "category": "Oncology" }

Varian Medical Systems Signs Multi-Million-Dollar Principal Provider Agreement With The University Of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center

Palo Alto, CA - June 26, 2003 - Varian Medical Systems, Inc. (NYSE:VAR),the world's leading manufacturer of integrated systems for radiation therapy,
today announced it has signed a five-year, renewable principal provider
agreement to supply radiotherapy equipment and services to The University of
Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center.  As part of the agreement, M. D.
Anderson has placed an initial $16.8 million order for radiation oncology
hardware and software.

M. D. Anderson's initial equipment acquisition under this agreement includes
multiple high energy linear accelerators equipped with the most advanced
versions of Varian's multileaf collimators, portal imaging devices, and
quality assurance tools used for IMRT and image guided radiotherapy.

According to James Cox, M.D., head of the Division of Radiation Oncology at
M. D. Anderson, this agreement formalizes what was already an
important relationship.  "We've been working with Varian for a long
time," he said.  "In 2001, we were the first institution in the world to
acquire an EXaCT Targeting™ installation combining Varian's Clinac®
linear accelerator with a CT scanner from GE Medical Systems.  And we
have long been a Varian SmartBeam™ IMRT site."

 "This agreement represents a long-term partnership between our
organizations," said Mitch Latinkic, administrator of the M. D. Anderson
Radiation Oncology Department.  "We chose Varian because we wanted more
than just a vendor we wanted a partner that can collaborate with us in moving
the field of radiation oncology forward."

"M. D. Anderson is known internationally for outstanding programs in patient
care, research, medical education, clinical trials and cancer prevention,"
said Tim Guertin, president of Varian's Oncology Systems business. 
"We're pleased to be providing them with equipment and services for their
state-of-the-art facilities.  And we look forward to working with them as
we develop and test new technologies."