| Cytyc Corporation (CYTC) 85 Swanson Road Boxborough, MA 01719
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Cytyc Corporation designs, develops, manufactures and markets sample preparation systems for medical diagnostics. Founded in 1987, Cytyc has dedicated its scientific expertise and resources to developing the ThinPrep System to address the limitations of the 50-year-old conventional Pap smear method. The ThinPrep® Pap Test™ is a new method for the automated preparation of microscopic slides for cervical cell samples, intended to replace the conventional Pap smear for cervical cancer screening.
Since Dr. Papanicolaou introduced his test for cervical cancer in the late 1940's, scientists and clinicians have sought to improve the technology and ease the laborious nature of the work. In the mid 1980's, Cytyc was working to develop a system for automated computer image analysis of Pap smears. It became apparent that the main obstacle to computer imaging was the poor quality of conventional Pap smears. In a prime example of the adage "necessity is the mother of invention" their scientists and engineers turned their attention to developing a better way to prepare slides for cervical screening that would be clearer, more accurate and easier to read. Thus, the first ThinPrep® Processor was born, resulting in improved accuracy and slide quality for both manual assessment and potential computerized assessment. Though research continues into computer image analysis, the ThinPrep System already represents a significant breakthrough in cervical cytology that could make an immediate positive impact on women's health care. Cytyc have focused their efforts on continued mechanical refinements and software upgrades that have led to the state-of-the-art ThinPrep 2000 .
In May 1996, the United States Food and Drug Administration approved the ThinPrep Pap Test as a replacement for the conventional Pap smear for cervical cancer screening. In November 1996, the labeling was approved, concluding that -- The ThinPrep Pap Test -- was "significantly more effective" than the traditional Pap smear, improving detection of Low Grade Squamous Intraepithelial (LSIL) and more severe lesions by 65% in screening populations and by 6% in hospital populations.
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