ST LOUIS, 11 March 2010 – Covidien (NYSE: COV), a leading global provider of healthcare products, today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Health Canada have approved the use of the Maria Research Reactor (Maria) in Poland as a site to irradiate highly-enriched uranium targets for Molybdenum 99 (Mo 99) production. Covidien will use the Mo 99 obtained from Maria in the manufacture of its Technetium 99m (Tc 99m) generators. Patients should begin to benefit from Maria-produced Mo 99 in the United States and Canada later this month.
Tc 99m is a vital medical isotope used in over 80 percent of all nuclear medicine diagnostic and functional studies of organs and anatomical systems. The information from these studies is used by many medical specialists (including radiologists, nephrologists, oncologists and cardiologists) to better diagnose and treat patients. More than 35 million nuclear medicine procedures are performed worldwide each year, more than half in the United States.
On February 17, 2010, in Warsaw, Poland, Covidien and the Institute of Atomic Energy in Poland (IAE POLATOM) announced an agreement for Maria to begin supplying Mo 99. At the time, it was estimated that the Mo 99 supplied from Maria would help meet the needs of more than one million additional patients worldwide in just the first six months.
"We are pleased that both FDA and Health Canada expedited their reviews of our data, resulting in a quick approval," said Timothy R. Wright, President, Pharmaceuticals, Covidien. "Their actions are great news for patients who may have been facing longer delays in receiving critical nuclear medicine diagnostic procedures."
ABOUT COVIDIEN
Covidien is a leading global healthcare products company that creates innovative medical solutions for better patient outcomes and delivers value through clinical leadership and excellence. Covidien manufactures, distributes and services a diverse range of industry-leading product lines in three segments: Medical Devices, Pharmaceuticals and Medical Supplies. With 2009 revenue of $10.7 billion, Covidien has 42,000 employees worldwide in more than 60 countries, and its products are sold in over 140 countries. Please visit www.covidien.com to learn more about our business and www.covidien.com/Mo99supply to learn more about Mo 99 supply.