Medifocus, Inc. Announces Global Market Expansion with Prolieve® Performed and Reimbursed by Insurance Carriers in Hong Kong

COLUMBIA, Md. and TORONTO, Jan. 03, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Medifocus, Inc. (OTCQB: MDFZF and TSXV: MFS) ("Medifocus" or the "Company"), a biotechnology company with a portfolio of medical products encompassing thermotherapy systems for the treatment of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) and Breast Cancer, today announced its Prolieve^® Thermodilatation™ procedure for the treatment of BPH have been performed and reimbursed by insurance carriers in Hong Kong.

Dr. William Jow commented, “We are pleased that our efforts, together with the contribution from our Asian partners, are starting to yield tangible financial results from Prolieve^® sales. Through our resolution in promoting Prolieve^® in Asia and after having presented at three major international conferences within the past 16 months, I would like to see Prolieve^® sales start to pick up in the near future both domestically and internationally.  We are pleased to enter the fast-growing Asia markets where BPH and cancers of the prostate and breast are quickly becoming major public health concerns.” Dr. Jow continued, “Now for the first time outside of the U.S., Prolieve^® has been performed and reimbursed by insurance carriers in Hong Kong, which is a very important milestone for our Global Market Expansion. We are also in the process of helping our Asian partners open up Prolieve^® markets in South Korea, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore and China as well. While we strive to expand our global markets, we also explore opportunities in utilizing Prolieve^® as a Minimally-invasive Focal Therapy treatment option for early prostate cancer patients, especially those men who elect to undergo active surveillance rather than surgery or radiation.”

Dr. Jow added, “Another exciting news was our recent submission of a patent pending Microwave Thermotherapy and Cluster Tissue Ablation biotechnology, adding to a large portfolio of domestic and international patents already granted to Medifocus in the past.  Our innovative cutting-edge technology will likely reduce systematic toxicities of radiation, chemotherapy and/or immunotherapy agents such as checkpoint inhibitors, which can be used as combination therapy for better cancer control and can be applied to our Prolieve^® ThermoDilatation™ and APA 1000 Microwave Focal Therapy table developed by M.I.T.  In closing, Medifocus is the leader in Microwave Thermotherapy and is currently engaging prospective in-licensing venture partners in perfecting our innovative Cluster Tissue Ablation biotechnology platforms in treating prostate, breast and other cancers.”

About the Prolieve^® Thermodilatation™ System

The Prolieve^® Thermodilatation™ System offers potential relief to the millions of men who suffer from Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH), a condition that becomes common as men age. About half of men over 50 have some enlargement of the prostate gland, and this rises to about 90% among those over 70. As the prostate enlarges, it constricts the urethra, thereby restricting the passage of urine. Persistent restriction and further progression of BPH, if left untreated, often results in worsening of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). Further complications of this process may result in urinary retention, bladder stones and infection, as well as compromised bladder and kidney function.

The Prolieve^® System is a novel focused heat therapy which utilizes a unique combination of focused heat energy directed at the prostate in combination with a patented, water cooled and pressurized dilatation balloon to achieve immediate and long-term relief of BPH symptoms with very minimal treatment related side effects after a brief in-office procedure performed under local anesthesia. The unique advantage of this combined "heat plus compression" therapy is twofold: first, the heat denatures local tissue proteins of the (balloon) dilated urethra, resulting in an expanded and stiffened urethral lumen functioning as a biological stent. Second, the compression reduces local blood flow thus increasing the thermal efficiency of the microwave energy to achieve apoptosis and tissue ablation in the targeted prostate gland. As the transurethral microwave energy is applied to the entire prostate, a computerized feedback system involving the rectal temperature probe renders the rectal temperature not to exceed 41-42 ^◦C, thus ensuring safety of the rectal wall and neurovascular bundles essential to preservation of erectile function.  

About Medifocus, Inc.:

Medifocus, Inc. (TSXV-MFS, OTC-MDFZF) is a Biotechnology Company with a portfolio of medical technologies that utilize patented Focal Thermal Technology to treat conditions ranging from Prostate Diseases to Breast Cancer. Its Prolieve^® Thermodilatation™ System offers symptomatic relief to men with Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) through a simple, fast, in-office treatment. Prolieve® is both FDA and Medicare approved for treating symptomatic BPH with over 100,000 cases performed in the U.S. alone, and with proven long-term safety, efficacy and durability. Its APA 1000 Breast Cancer Treatment System was licensed from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and developed by the Medifocus team. The Targeted Focal Thermotherapy has been demonstrated in Phase 2 clinical trials to offer significantly better tumor shrinkage in patients treated with the combined Chemothermal therapy compared those treated with Chemotherapy alone. APA 1000 was also shown to be effective in reducing margin positivity among patients treated with such thermotherapy prior to lumpectomy.

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