Chicago Prostate Cancer Center First in World to Reach 100 Patient Implants Using Cesium-131™

By: Cancer News

Chicago Prostate Cancer Center (CPCC) reached a major milestone in prostate brachytherapy (radioactive seed implantation) October 4, 2006, becoming the world’s first cancer center to treat 100 patients using Cesium-131™, a powerful new medical isotope developed and manufactured by IsoRay Medical, Inc.

CPCC is one of the few centers in the United States dedicated solely to the treatment of prostate cancer using brachytherapy. It is also one of the busiest implant centers in the country with over 8,000 patient implants in the last nine years.

CPCC founder and principal, Brian Moran, MD, said Cesium-131 represents the first major leap in radioactive seed implantation.

“We are a center of excellence, and we’re constantly pursuing new ideas and technologies. Cesium has adapted well to our philosophy,” said Moran. “Our preliminary analysis of patients we have treated using Cesium-131 is that they experience more limited side effects that are shorter in duration when compared to other isotopes.”

“It is fitting that CPCC is the first center to reach this plateau. Under Dr. Moran’s leadership, CPCC was one of the first centers in the United States to embrace Cesium-131 when it was introduced in 2004.” said Roger Girard, chairman and CEO of IsoRay, Inc.

Cesium-131 is a proprietary product of IsoRay, Inc. (“IsoRay”) (OTCBB:ISRY), an innovative medical technology company based in Richland, WA.

Now available in over 50 locations across the United States, Cesium-131 delivers its therapeutic radiation faster than other types of seeds -- Palladium-103 and Iodine-125. Due to its unique characteristics, Cesium-131 patients receive a higher initial dosage of radiation, which attacks and kills cancer cells more quickly. Its short half-life means that radiation leaves the body sooner than other isotope options.

Seed brachytherapy -- where seeds are implanted in and around a cancerous tumor -- is a proven and common treatment for prostate cancer, with 50,000 to 60,000 procedures performed each year. The centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services have established a specific reimbursement code for Cesium-131, and most insurance companies cover the brachytherapy procedure.

Although Cesium-131 seeds have been used exclusively for the treatment of prostate cancer to date, the technology received Food and Drug Administration 510(k) clearance in March 2003 for the treatment of any malignant disease, including cancers of the head and neck, brain, breast, prostate, and other organs.

Founded in 1997, CPCC is located in Westmont, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. Its recently opened, 35,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility in the United States is dedicated solely to the treatment of prostate cancer with brachytherapy.

CPCC is located at 815 Pasquinelli Drive in Westmont. For more information, visit www.prostateimplant.com.

For more information on the Cesium-131 cancer treatment breakthrough, visit www.cesium131.com or www.isoray.com.

About IsoRay

IsoRay, Inc., through its subsidiary, IsoRay Medical, Inc., is the sole producer of the Cesium-131 brachytherapy seed, used to treat prostate and other cancers. The Cesium-131 seed offers a significantly shorter half-life than the two other isotopes commonly used for brachytherapy, which results in a substantially faster delivery of therapeutic radiation, lower probability of cancer cell survival and reduction of the longevity of common brachytherapy side effects. IsoRay is based in Richland, Washington.

Safe Harbor Statement

Statements in this news release about IsoRay’s future expectations, including: the advantages of our Cesium131seed, future production capabilities, development of protocols for the use of our Cesium131 seed to treat cancers other than prostate cancer, the level of market share our seed may attain, and all other statements in this release, other than historical facts, are forward-looking statements. It is important to note that actual results and ultimate corporate actions could differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements based on such factors as physician acceptance, training and use of our products, our ability to successfully manufacture, market and sell our products, our ability to manufacture our products in sufficient quantities to meet demand within required delivery time periods while meeting our quality control standards, and our ability to enforce our intellectual property rights, and other risks detailed from time to time in IsoRay's reports filed with the SEC.