Cook Medical And Gynecor Form Strategic Distribution Partnership

Spencer, IN - Cook Medical, the world's largest private medical device company, a global anatomic pathology laboratory devoted to gynecology announced their partnership to provide the Tao Brush to Ob/Gyn offices across the country, thus offering a fast and gentle method of endometrial biopsy with minimal patient discomfort. The Tao Brush is designed and manufactured by Cook Medical, and this partnership makes Gynecor the exclusive distributor of the Tao Brush in the US and the UK.

The Tao Brush is an integral part of Gynecor's TruTest endometrial biopsy kit, which incorporates a gentle brushing technique to collect a uterine biopsy from a patient. The brush is enclosed in a sheath that protects the bristles from contamination during insertion and protects all collected biopsy tissue during removal. The brush and the tissue specimen are then sent to the Gynecor laboratory for processing and interpretation.

Unlike other forms of endometrial biopsy that incorporate suction or cutting to remove multiple pieces of uterine tissue, the Tao Brush uses soft bristles to procure an adequate representative sample of the patient's endometrium, facilitating early detection of abnormal cells.

Tissue collection with the brush minimizes patient discomfort, potential damage to the uterus and the potential for cancer cells being missed. The Tao Brush is able to sample up to sixty percent of the endometrial lining, as compared to roughly four percent with the most commonly used suction-based device.¹

In addition to the brush, Gynecor's TruTest kit contains a proprietary fixative that allows pathologists to evaluate both the tissue and the cells the Tao Brush collected. No other current diagnostic test provides both tissue and cell testing from one specimen. STD results such as HPV, chlamydia and gonorrhea can also be ordered as part of the TruTest.

In announcing the partnership, Christina Anné, the Women's Health strategic business unit leader, emphasized Cook's focus on quality of life for the female patient. "The strategic partnership between Cook and Gynecor helps meet two of our important objectives. First, TruTest with the Tao Brush improves the quality of life of the female patient by providing a more gentle procedure that minimizes the pain from conventional uterine biopsies while providing specimens that can be better tested. The test's fast turnaround time may also help stem the patient's anxiety. Secondly, together, our partnership provides physicians with a state-of-the-art diagnostic test that can effectively detect early signs of endometrial cancer. As we know, early detection most often means early treatment and potentially better outcomes."

Alison Lippincott, director of marketing for Gynecor, adds "Cook's objectives align with Gynecor's core value of putting the patient above all else. No woman should have to go through a painful procedure, wait over a week for results, and risk not getting a clear diagnosis. Our goal is to address these issues by offering a comprehensive picture of the patients' uterine health with less discomfort and a more definitive result in the shortest amount of time possible."

¹http://www.gynecor.com/article_references.html

SOURCE: Cook Medical