Philips and Dartmouth Announce Research Collaboration to Advance Discovery in Cancer, Heart, and Neurological Diseases

Philips Medical Systems, a division of Royal PhilipsElectronics (NYSE: PHG; AEX: PHI), and the medical and engineeringschools of Dartmouth College, today announced they have entered into amulti-year research agreement to develop innovative imagingcapabilities that aim to better enable earlier detection and treatmentof heart disease, cancer and neurological diseases. For Dartmouth,this is the first of its kind collaboration that brings togetherworld-class academic and clinical researchers from Dartmouth MedicalSchool and the Thayer School of Engineering with industry-leadingtechnology and scientists from Philips to develop and expedite noveldiagnostics and therapies to improve clinical care.

As part of the collaboration between Philips and Dartmouth,researchers will utilize a range of Philips imaging solutions,including using targeted molecular imaging to help visualize newlyformed blood vessels in the cardiovascular system. Through functionaland metabolic imaging, researchers may be able to measure the impactof these new vessels on tissue function and blood perfusion (theability to force a fluid through an organ). Additionally, by utilizingmodalities like magnetic resonance (MR) and positron emissiontomography (PET) imaging, researchers may be able to develop newtechniques for diagnosing and treating of patients with cardiac andperipheral ischemia.

Dartmouth's Advanced Imaging Center (AIC) is housed atDartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center (DHMC) in Lebanon, NH, theprincipal site for research including clinical trials in cancer,cardiology, and neurology. Truly collaborative, the AIC leverages thedepth and range of Dartmouth's expertise in advanced imagingtechnologies through an interdisciplinary approach for the developmentof novel diagnostics and treatment opportunities that translatedirectly into improved clinical care.

"Improving diagnosis and treatment options for cardiovasculardisease, cancer and neurological conditions represents one of thebiggest challenges in medicine," said Dartmouth Medical School DeanStephen P. Spielberg, M.D. "The role of medical imaging in these areashas grown exponentially in recent years, with groundbreaking worktaking place in imaging the brain, the heart, and other organs.Working with our colleagues from the Thayer School and Philips,Dartmouth sees the opportunity to combine the intellectual strengthsof academia with an industry leader as a key to further unlockadvances in medical imaging."

In the studies being conducted at Dartmouth, researchers willemploy a multi-modality approach that may impact diagnosis andtreatment of cardiovascular disease and various cancers in the breastand brain. For example, an enhanced ability to assess tissue viabilityin a reliable manner would be an important clinical tool incardiovascular disease. The combination of imaging plaque in newvessels with PET imaging would increase the reliability ofnon-invasive detection of fatty substances along the artery wall.

"Philips Medical Systems is deeply committed to advancing thediagnosis and treatment of diseases to enhance patient care throughinnovative research," said Diego Olego, senior vice president andchief technology officer, for Philips Medical Systems. "Workingside-by-side with a prestigious medical school like Dartmouth, we willestablish ways to improve and develop imaging solutions that addresssome of the world's more prevalent diseases."

Alternative Breast Cancer Imaging Center

The Alternative Breast Cancer Imaging Center (ABCIC) at Dartmouthdevelops and evaluates alternatives to current imaging methods toincrease the accuracy of breast cancer detection and diagnosis, andmonitoring of breast cancer progression and regression. A superb cadreof researchers from the Thayer School and the Norris Cotton CancerCenter combine technological developments with clinical studies toexplore emerging technologies that can contribute to breast imaging,including Magnetic Resonance Elastography (MRE); and Near InfraredSpectral Imaging (NIR).

Advanced Cardio-Vascular Imaging

Through this collaboration with Philips, Dartmouth will have theability to perform research with micro positron emission tomography(microPET), as well as other imaging technologies over the course ofthe relationship. These new imaging technologies will enablescientists to test and define new molecular imaging technologies,which may allow the identification of changes in the structures andfunctions of myocardial tissue, as well as tumor cells for brain,breast and prostate cancer. Understanding cell function at themolecular level can lead to more accurate treatment delivery andoutcomes while minimizing side effects.

Norris Cotton Cancer Center's Imaging Program

The Norris Cotton Cancer Center (NCCC), a National CancerInstitute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, is developing animaging program to enhance early tumor detection, facilitate thedevelopment and evaluation of new drugs, and accelerate thedevelopment of new therapies to improve the quality of life for cancerpatients. Researchers are working to elucidate molecular eventsunderlying malignant tumors to help prevent cancer before it starts.

Neuroscience Center and Neuroimaging Research Center

The Neuroscience Center and Neuroimaging Research Center atDartmouth focuses on how advanced imaging technology can helpdetection and assessment of early neurological disease. Key researchobjectives include enhanced understanding of basic disease processes,recognizing risk factors, and identifying mechanisms of treatmentamong prevalent brain disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease,traumatic brain injury (TBI), multiple sclerosis (MS), epilepsy,schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and drug addiction. Special emphasisis placed on imaging of the brain as it correlates to cognitive,emotional and behavioral processes relevant to early diagnosis,patient characterization and treatment monitoring.

About Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Dartmouth MedicalSchool, and the Thayer School of Engineering

Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center brings together the expertise,dedication, and compassion of one of the nation's top hospitals andthe scholarship, research and leadership of one of the nation's oldestand most distinguished medical schools to from New Hampshire's onlyacademic medical center. The oldest engineering school in the nation,founded in 1867, the Thayer School of Engineering offered the nation'sfirst professional engineering program designed to follow four yearsof undergraduate liberal arts education. Today, the school offersundergraduate and professional degree programs, integrating research,problem-solving and design into its academic programs, and offeringunique multidisciplinary opportunities for its students and faculty.More information about Dartmouth, its professional schools, and itsaffiliated medical center, can be found at www.dartmouth.edu.

About Royal Philips Electronics

Royal Philips Electronics of the Netherlands (NYSE: PHG, AEX:PHI)is one of the world's biggest electronics companies and Europe'slargest, with sales of $37.7 billion (EUR 30.4 billion) in 2005. Withactivities in the three interlocking domains of healthcare, lifestyleand technology and 161,500 employees in more than 60 countries, it hasmarket leadership positions in medical diagnostic imaging and patientmonitoring, color television sets, electric shavers, lighting andsilicon system solutions. News from Philips is located atwww.philips.com/newscenter.