Interventional Radiology

Delcath Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: DCTH) announced today that the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston (UTMB), part of the University of Texas System, has joined Delcath's Phase III clinical trial for the treatment of inoperable metastatic melanoma in the liver using the Company's Percutaneous Hepatic Perfusion (PHP) System for the isolated, high-dose delivery of the anti-cancer agent melphalan. UTMB is the sixth center in this multi-center study testing the Delcath System.

Delcath and UTMB have entered into a clinical research agreement to conduct the Phase III National Cancer Institute (NCI) led study. Orhan S. Ozkan, MD, Associate Professor of Radiology and Director of Vascular and Interventional Radiology, will serve as the Principal Investigator of the study. On joining this study, Dr. Ozkan commented, "We are excited about being a part of this clinical trial and being the first center to offer this treatment modality to patients in this region of the US. This treatment offers tremendous promise for patients suffering from metastatic melanoma in the liver, and we are pleased to be able to offer this option to our patients."

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Interventional radiology involves a variety of procedures including regional cancer therapy and endovascular stent grafting. We have a close dynamic collaboration with the surgical and oncology departments and run a multidisciplinary and solo IR clinic. The section recently renovated its interventional suites and facility with two new angio suites installed this summer, including a dedicated neurointerventional biplane room. State of the art MRI units are available for MRA and MRCP and the interventional radiology section has a dedicated helical CT/Fluoro unit. The IR section is ACGME-approved for three fellowship positions per year.

The Interventional Radiology section of the Radiology Department consists of four faculty members and two fellows, along with six technologists, 17 nurses and one nurse practitioner. Dr. Orhan Ozkan is the Director of Vascular and Interventional Radiology. He is involved in several innovative research projects and has recruited various other IR faculty members to collaborate on these projects. The IR section recently established programs for uterine fibroid embolization for the treatment of uterine fibroids and various venous procedures (sclerotherapy, laser vein ablation, and ambulatory phlebectomy). Patients are the first priority and the IR section performs approximately 3,500 procedures every year. Teaching is an important part of the section’s mission. Medical students, fellows and residents benefit from didactic lectures and hands-on procedural instruction.

Orhan Ozkan, M.D. – Associate Professor of Radiology and Section Director of Interventional Radiology. Dr. Ozkan returned to our department November, 2005 as the Section Director of Interventional Radiology. Dr. Ozkan completed his fellowships in Interventional Radiology from 1996-1998 and Abdominal Imaging from 1998-1999. Thereafter he joined as Assistant Professor in the Section of Interventional Radiology from 1999-2003. His return as Section Director and Associate Professor of Radiology is a welcome addition to the department.

Manoj Kathuria, M.D. – Assistant Professor of Radiology in the Section of Interventional Radiology. Dr. Kathuria completed his fellowship in Vascular and Interventional Radiology here at UTMB in 2002. He returned to India as Associate Professor of Radiology at Sanjay Gandhi Post graduate Institute of Medical Sciences in Lucknow, India. He rejoined our department as Associate Professor in November 2005.

AMAN GILL, M.D. Dr. Aman Gill, Assistant Professor of Radiology. Dr. Gill recently joined the IR staff at UTMB. He brings considerable experience in new procedures to UTMB and he has initiated new treatments for painful vertebral compression fractures (vertebroplasty) and treatments for disfiguring and painful venous disease (laser vein ablation, venous embolization and sclerotherapy).

ALBERTO HERNANDEZ, M.D. Dr. Alberto Hernandez, Assistant Professor of Radiology. Dr. Hernandez is an interventional radiologist and a pediatric radiologist. Having completed fellowships in both interventional radiology and pediatric radiology, he brings special skills and expertise in the performance of procedures in the pediatric population. His research interests include imaging and treatment of congenital vascular anomalies.

Dr. Gill has only been here a short time and has not produced any articles but he has given several lectures and is involved in one research study. He has been instrumental in creating multi-disciplinary education to increase the understanding of interventional radiology amongst other specialties and to increase the referral of patients to the IR service.

Dr. Hernandez has had three articles in peer reviewed journals and produced three exhibits and one abstract in the past year.