American Shared Hospital Services Announces Signing of Joint Venture Agreement for Gamma Knife Facility in Guadalajara, Mexico
July 09 2024 - 8:14AM
American Shared Hospital Services (NYSE American: AMS) (the
"Company"), a leading provider of turnkey technology solutions for
stereotactic radiosurgery and advanced radiation therapy equipment
and services, today announced that it has signed a joint venture
agreement to partner in a Gamma Knife treatment facility in
Guadalajara, Mexico.
AMS has signed a Joint Venture (“JV”) agreement with Hospital
San Javier (“HSJ”) to establish a Mexican JV (“Joint Venture”) to
treat public and private cancer patients. AMS and HSJ will hold 70%
and 30% ownership interests, respectively. The new Joint Venture
will be upgrading HSJ’s existing Gamma Knife® Perfexion™
system to an Esprit, Elekta’s newest Gamma Knife® radiosurgery
system.
Gamma Knife® radiosurgery is a gentler alternative to open
surgery and conventional radiotherapy as it can target the smallest
and most challenging intracranial tumors and lesions with minimal
effect on healthy tissue. This vital precision safeguards motor,
sensory and neurocognitive function to help protect the mind and
the person.
Esprit includes a variety of innovations in a single platform
and offers clinicians superior visualization, remote treatment
planning that increases and improves workflow efficiency and remote
accessibility, and collaboration tools designed to meet the needs
of changing environments.
Hospital San Javier was the first medical institution in Mexico
to offer Gamma Knife treatments starting operations in
1994. The Center will be staffed by an administrative and
medical team.
“We believe that this joint venture with HSJ is a testament to
AMS’ global expansion plans and is ripe with opportunity. This is
an exciting transaction for AMS, and the second expansion of our
international strategy into Mexico, where we will soon begin
treating patients with our state of the art Elekta Linear
Accelerator Versa HD at our AB Radiocirugia y Radioterapia facility
in Puebla. These two operations are in addition to our
existing international Gamma Knife centers in Peru and Ecuador,”
said Ray Stachowiak, Executive Chairman and CEO of American Shared
Hospital Services.
Ernest R. Bates, VP of Sales and Business Development at AMS,
added, “As one of only two Gamma Knife facilities in the entire
country of Mexico with a population of 130 million people, the
Joint Venture will be at the forefront of noninvasive brain
treatments in this major Latin American territory. We are excited
to partner with HSJ to introduce this advanced treatment modality
and provide much needed access to Mexico’s patient population.”
AMS’ JV partner, Ms. Elvia Zazueta, commented, “Our medical
staff has been providing Gamma Knife® radiosurgery treatments
with great success since we opened our doors for business in 1994.
Upgrading our current system with the Esprit, the latest model and
first of its kind in Mexico, gives us multiple clinical options.
Now we can offer even more personalized and patient-friendly
treatments. Patients can return home the same day and resume
their normal activities shortly after. We are excited to enter into
our partnership with AMS and appreciate its support in bringing
Esprit to our hospital.”
About American Shared Hospital Services (NYSE American: AMS)
American Shared Hospital Services (ASHS) is a leading provider
of creative financial and turnkey solutions to cancer treatment
centers, hospitals, and large cancer networks worldwide. The
Company works closely with all major global Original Equipment
Manufacturers (OEMs) that provide leading edge clinical treatment
systems and software to treat cancer using Radiation Therapy and
Radiosurgery. The Company is vendor agnostic and provides financial
support for a wide range of products including MR Guided Radiation
Therapy Linacs, Advanced Digital Linear Accelerators, Proton Beam
Therapy Systems, Brachytherapy systems and suites, and through the
Company’s subsidiary, GK Financing LLC., the Leksell Gamma Knife
product and services. For more information, please
visit www.ashs.com/
Safe Harbor StatementThis press release may be deemed to contain
certain forward-looking statements with respect to the financial
condition, results of operations and future plans of American
Shared Hospital Services including statements regarding the
expected continued growth of the Company and the expansion of the
Company’s Gamma Knife, proton therapy and MR/LINAC business, which
involve risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to, the
risks of economic and market conditions, the risks of variability
of financial results between quarters, the risks of the Gamma Knife
and proton therapy businesses, the risks of changes to CMS
reimbursement rates or reimbursement methodology, the risks of the
timing, financing, and operations of the Company’s Gamma Knife,
proton therapy, and MR/LINAC businesses, the risk of expanding
within or into new markets, the risk that the integration or
continued operation of acquired businesses could adversely affect
financial results and the risk that current and future acquisitions
may negatively affect the Company’s financial position. Further
information on potential factors that could affect the financial
condition, results of operations and future plans of American
Shared Hospital Services is included in the filings of the Company
with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the
Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December
31, 2023, and the definitive Proxy Statement for the Annual Meeting
of Shareholders that was held on June 25, 2024.
Contacts:
American Shared Hospital Services Ranjit Pradhan, VP Of
Marketing P: (415) 788-5300 Ext 4021rpradhan@ashs.com
Hospital San JavierElvia Zazueta, Director of InnovationP: +52
333 669 0222 Ext 16060ezazueta@hospitalsanjavier.com
PCG Advisory Inc, Investor RelationsKirin
Smith646-823-8656ksmith@pcgadvisory.com