Zila Awarded Contract to Distribute ViziLite(R) Plus by U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
December 18 2007 - 8:00AM
Business Wire
Zila, Inc. (NASDAQ:ZILA) today announced that it has been awarded a
contract by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to market its
oral cancer screening product, ViziLite� Plus with TBlue630�, to 58
Veterans Administration dental clinics and 154 Department of
Defense dental clinics. �ViziLite Plus is the leading adjunctive
oral cancer screening technology enabling dentists and hygienists
to identify oral abnormalities that can lead to oral cancer,� said
Frank J. Bellizzi, DMD, president of Zila Pharmaceuticals. �This
contract award will allow us to make our potentially life-saving
product available to the 7.9 million veterans enrolled in the VA
Health Care System and more than 1.3 million men and women in
active military service - a population that is frequently at
increased risk for oral cancer.� ViziLite Plus utilizes a
chemiluminescent light source (ViziLite) and a patented
pharmaceutical-grade vital tissue dye (TBlue630) to enhance the
identification of oral abnormalities that can lead to cancer. A
ViziLite Plus exam is entirely pain-free, takes only minutes, and
should be a key part of every adult�s annual dental check-up. More
information about ViziLite Plus and oral cancer is available at
www.ViziLite.com. About Oral Cancer Oral cancer is among the most
deadly cancer types, largely because approximately two-thirds of
all oral cancers are detected at advanced stages. Treatment for
advanced cases often results in disfigurement and a significant
decline in quality of life. When oral cancer is detected in its
earliest stage the 5-year survival rate is 81%. When detected late
stage the 5-year survival rate plummets to 26%. The American Cancer
Society estimates about 34,360 new cases (24,180 in men and 10,180
in women) of oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancer will be diagnosed
in the United States in 2007. An estimated 7,550 people (5,180 men
and 2,370 women) will die of oral cancer in 2007. The American
Cancer Society lists the following risk factors: age � all adult
gender � more men than women develop oral cancer smoking �
particularly if combined with heavy alcohol consumption chewing
tobacco or using snuff � teens are also susceptible heavy alcohol
consumption � particularly if combined with smoking excessive sun
exposure to the lips A recent report in the New England Journal of
Medicine suggests that exposure to the sexually transmitted human
papilloma virus number 16 (HPV16), causes oropharyngeal cancer (a
type of oral cancer), and may help explain the increasing incidence
of the disease in younger people. According to the American Dental
Association, more than 25% of oral cancers occur in people who do
not smoke and have no other behavioral risk factors. About Zila,
Inc. Zila, Inc., is a fully integrated oral diagnostic company
dedicated to the prevention, detection and treatment of oral cancer
and periodontal disease. ViziLite� Plus, the company�s flagship
product for the early detection of oral abnormalities that could
lead to cancer, is the first and only adjunctive medical device
cleared by the FDA for use in a population at increased risk for
oral cancer. In addition, Zila designs, manufactures and markets a
suite of proprietary products sold exclusively and directly to
dental professionals for periodontal disease, including the
Rota-dent(R) Professional Powered Brush, the Pro-Select(R) Platinum
ultrasonic scaler and a portfolio of oral pharmaceutical products
for both in-office and home-care use. This press release contains
forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the
Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934. These forward-looking statements are based largely on
Zila�s expectations or forecasts of future events, can be affected
by inaccurate assumptions and are subject to various business risks
and known and unknown uncertainties, a number of which are beyond
the Company�s control. Therefore, actual results could differ
materially from the forward-looking statements contained herein. A
wide variety of factors could cause or contribute to such
differences and could adversely affect revenue, profitability, cash
flows and capital needs. There can be no assurance that the
forward-looking statements contained in this press release will, in
fact, transpire or prove to be accurate. For a more detailed
description of these and other cautionary factors that may affect
Zila�s future results, please refer to Zila�s Form 10-K for its
fiscal year ended July 31, 2007. For more information about the
company and its products, please visit www.zila.com.
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