TomoTherapy, Inc. (TOMO)

PauvrePapillon (99.38) Submitted: 8/06/07 12:51 PM

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It’s not just their earnings report that they are spinning. That would be bad enough. The real travesty though is that they are also deceptive in terms of hyping their technology.

Without getting too technical, here is just one simple example that any layman can follow.

On their website, Tomo touts their Hi Art system as being capable of performing radiosurgery since its machine can deliver radiation beams from all 360 degrees.

True enough, as to the 360 degrees part, but take a closer look at the design of their machine and you’ll see that’s 360 degrees within a single plane.

Accuray’s robotically controlled CyberKnife works from a treatment plan that is able to incorporate all 360s degrees from all planes. Think of that as 360 times 360.

Why is this important?

Because accuracy is the name of the game in radiosurgery. Ideally, you want each beam to pass through healthy tissue only once while intersecting on the tumor thus creating a lethal cumulative dose on the tumor only.

It’s simple geometry. If you are firing through the tumor from only one plane you are essentially working in only two dimensions but if you are able to fire from all planes as well as all angles, you are working in three dimensions and can therefore form a three dimensional starburst pattern of radiation delivery generating a much higher concentration of radiation on the tumor without any increase in exposure to healthy tissue.

This ability to deliver radiation in a three dimensional starburst pattern with the tumor at the vortex of the intersecting beams is what makes radiosurgery possible. The GammaKnife is able to do this intracranially. The CyberKnife can do it both intra and extracranially. Their competitors, including, Tomo can’t. Period, end of story.

Tomo’s assertiong that its “versitile” Hi Art device has the accuracy necessary to perform radiosurgery is complete BS and, if properly investigated, could easily be considered a fradulent claim.

And we’re not just talking about money here. We’re talking about lives.

If any company in the world deserves to be shorted, its Tomo.

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TheCaucasianDude (< 20) Submitted: 9/10/07 4:28 PM

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The WSJ did no such thing.

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TheCaucasianDude (< 20) Submitted: 9/10/07 4:37 PM

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Why are you so emotional about this short? Do you actually believe that TTPY deserves to be shorted on moral grounds? That's ridiculous! What kind of an axe do you have to grind?

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PauvrePapillon (99.38) Submitted: 9/25/07 9:09 PM

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Tomo has been touting the ”versatility” of its device as capable of performing stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS). Varian has done the same thing. But just last week Varian announced that it was launching a joint venture with BrainLab to develop an SRS capable device. Now, if your existing product is already capable of SRS, why do you launch a joint venture with a competitor to create a new SRS machine?

http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/070918/varian_medical_brainlab_novalis.html?.v=1

Accuray’s competitors have unscrupulously attempted to muddy the investment waters with these sorts of bogus claims. The truth is that Accuray’s CyberKnife is the only radiation delivery device capable of performing extra-cranial SRS. Given a little time, the market will sort it all out. Notice that Varian’s shares actually fell on the afternoon of their BrainLab press release.

Now comes further clarification from the analysts at Jeffries, “Accuray's CyberKnife and Elekta's GammaKnife are designed specifically for SRS due to their sub-millimeter accuracy and ability to deliver higher intensity doses of radiation to a much more precise area, far superior for inoperable tumors (based on the opinions of physicians they have spoken to).”

http://seekingalpha.com/article/48192-jefferies-strongly-worded-call-should-push-accuray-higher?source=yahoo

Here is an interesting recent exchange from the CyberKnife Patient Support Group wherein Dr. Clinton Medbery of St. Anthony Hospital CyberKnife Center tries to clear up various misconceptions relative to Trilogy, Tomo and CyberKnife.

http://www.cyberknifesupport.org/forum/default.aspx?f=16&m=14240

Dr. Medbery gets a bit technical but basically what he is saying is that the CyberKnife has a proprietary design that, until they repeal the laws of physics and geometry, makes it the only system appropriate for extra-cranial SRS.

So, you can short TTPY for two reasons:

One, they don’t have what they claim to have and that is not a good thing if you or your loved one are trying to sort through your treatment options while in need of a treatment that can only be obtained at a CyberKnife Center.

Two, they don’t have what they claim they have and, sooner or later, investors are going to figure that out.

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PauvrePapillon (99.38) Submitted: 4/18/08 3:43 AM

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From PauvrePapillon (1 August 2007):

"If you've made money on TTPY's post-IPO run up, you're lucky. Take your money off the table and go home a winner."

http://caps.fool.com/ViewPlayer.aspx?t=0...

Tomo opened at $27.00 on 1 August 2007, had a high of $27.46, a low of $25.92 and closed at $26.92.

You might be able to get $9.50 for it tomorrow.

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