RITA Medical Systems Names Thomas J. Dugan to Board of Directors
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Nov 10, 2004 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX/ -- RITA Medical Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq: RITA) today announced that veteran medical device industry executive Thomas J. Dugan, 47, has been named to the RITA Medical Systems Board of Directors. Mr. Dugan was unanimously appointed to the Board during the November 4, 2004 meeting of the Board of Directors at the offices of RITA Medical Systems. He fills the vacancy created by John Gilbert's resignation in October 2004. The size of the Company's Board remains unchanged with eight members and one vacancy.
Mr. Dugan has more than 23 years of experience in the medical device industry. He previously served as a director for a private medical device company and is currently a consultant to several medical device companies. Mr. Dugan was previously President of InterVascular, Inc. a subsidiary of Datascope Corp., from 2002 to 2004 and was a corporate officer of Datascope. He also served as Corporate Vice President, Business Development for Datascope from 2001 to 2002. Prior to joining Datascope, Mr. Dugan was Vice President of Marketing for United States Surgical, a division of Tyco Healthcare, responsible for their Auto Suture and USS/D&G suture businesses from 1999 to 2001. From 1996 to 1999, he headed business development for United States Surgical during a period when it made numerous acquisitions, investments and divestitures. Earlier in his career, Mr. Dugan held positions of increasing responsibility in sales, marketing and international. He was with C.R. Bard from 1990 to 1996, Puritan-Bennett from 1987 to 1990 and Johnson & Johnson from 1981 to 1987.
Mr. Joseph DeVivo, President and CEO of RITA Medical Systems, commented, "I am very pleased to announce that Tom has joined the RITA Board of Directors. I had the opportunity to work with Tom at U.S. Surgical, and look forward to the benefit of his highly effective and creative voice on the board."
About RITA Medical Systems, Inc.
RITA Medical Systems develops manufactures and markets innovative products for cancer patients including radiofrequency ablation (RFA) systems for treating cancerous tumors as well as percutaneous vascular and spinal access systems. The Company's oncology product lines include implantable ports, some of which feature its proprietary Vortex® technology; tunneled central venous catheters; safety infusion sets and peripherally inserted central catheters used primarily in cancer treatment protocols. The proprietary RITA system uses radiofrequency energy to heat tissue to a high enough temperature to ablate it or cause cell death. In March 2000, RITA became the first RFA Company to receive specific FDA clearance for unresectable liver lesions in addition to its previous general FDA clearance for the ablation of soft tissue. In October 2002, RITA again became the first company to receive specific FDA clearance, this time, for the palliation of pain associated with metastatic lesions involving bone.
Except for the historical information contained in this news release, the statements in this news release are forward-looking statements involving risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements. Information regarding these risks are included in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
For more information, please contact: investors, Jill Bertotti, jill@allencaron.com, or media, Len Hall, len@allencaron.com, both of Allen & Caron Inc., +1-949-474-4300, for RITA Medical Systems, Inc.; or Don Stewart, Chief Financial Officer, dstewart@ritamed.com, or Stephen Pedroff, Marketing Communications, spedroff@ritamed.com, both of RITA Medical Systems, Inc., +1-650-314-3400.
SOURCE RITA Medical Systems, Inc.
investors, Jill Bertotti, jill@allencaron.com, or media, Len Hall, len@allencaron.com, both of Allen & Caron Inc., +1-949-474-4300, for RITA Medical Systems, Inc.; or Don Stewart, Chief Financial Officer, dstewart@ritamed.com, or Stephen Pedroff, Marketing Communications, spedroff@ritamed.com, both of RITA Medical Systems, Inc., +1-650-314-3400 (RITA)