Pentax has entered into an agreement to distribute SpectraScience's WavSTAT Optical Biopsy system for use in colorectal cancer screening and diagnosis.
Under the agreement, Pentax gained rights to provide WavSTAT system for minimum purchase quantities in Europe, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and South Africa as well as first refusal option for all other countries in the Middle East and Africa.
SpectraScience chief executive officer Michael Oliver said the company looks forward to kick off sales and marketing activities in the very near term, and are now working with the Pentax to customize business plans for key territories.
"Among the initial programs planned with PENTAX, will be to address an exciting potential opportunity involving a new national colorectal cancer screening program that will begin in The Netherlands effective January 1, 2013," Oliver added.
"With a shortage of gastroenterologists, Dutch hospitals are initiating an extensive training program in 2012 to develop a cadre of nurse endoscopists to provide adequate capacity to conduct screening colonoscopies.
"We believe the WavSTAT4 System is the perfect tool to improve the nurses’ diagnostic effectiveness during these procedures."