RALEIGH, N.C., Sept. 10, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- DARA BioSciences, Inc. (Nasdaq:DARA) announced today that SurgiVision, Inc., a privately held company of which DARA owns approximately 7.3% of the outstanding shares, has entered into an agreement with Siemens Healthcare, a division of Siemens AG (NYSE:SI) for the co-development and commercialization of a real-time magnetic resonance image (MRI)-guided cardiac electrophysiology (EP) system. Siemens publicly announced the agreement on September 8, 2009, and a copy of the announcement can be found on the Siemens website at www.usa.siemens.com.
As stated in the Siemens announcement, Siemens and SurgiVision, in collaboration with the University of Utah's Atrial Fibrillation Program, plan to develop a fully integrated EP MRI system. The announcement adds that the new system will be designed to improve catheter-based cardiac procedures through the development of a fully integrated hardware, software, and catheter system which would provide real-time visualization and eliminate radiation exposure.
According to the Siemens announcement, atrail fibrillation is the most common cardiac arrhythmia and is a leading cause of stroke among the 65 and over populace. Annual treatment costs of atrial fibrillation are estimated at $7 billion.
In addition, SurgiVision is developing through ClearPoint an integrated system of reusable components, disposable devices and procedures-based software to enable real time MRI-guided deep brain stimulation (DBS) lead placement and other neuro interventions.
DARA has been an investor in SurgiVision since 2004. Additional information regarding SurgiVision can be found on its website, www.surgivision.com.
About DARA BioSciences, Inc.
DARA BioSciences(tm), Inc. ("DARA") is a Raleigh, North Carolina based development-stage pharmaceutical company that acquires promising therapeutic small molecules and develops them through proof of concept in humans for subsequent sale or out-licensing to larger pharmaceutical companies. Presently DARA has two drug candidates with cleared IND's (Investigational New Drug) Applications from the U.S. FDA. One of these drug candidates KRN5500 has successfully completed a Phase 2a clinical trial treating cancer patients for neuropathic pain. It has a portfolio of drug candidates for neuropathic pain, type 2 diabetes, and psoriasis. For more information please contact the Company at 919-872-5578 or visit our web site at http://www.darabio.com.