SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
___________________
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported) November 16, 2000
BICO, INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Pennsylvania 0-10822 25-1229323
(State of other jurisdiction (Commission File Number) (IRS Employer
of incorporation) Identification No.)
2275 Swallow Hill Road, Bldg. 2500, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15220
(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)
Registrant's telephone number, including area code (412) 429-0673
_________________________________________________________
(Former name or former address,
if changes since last report.)
Item 1. Change in Control of Registrant.
Not applicable.
Item 2. Acquisition or Disposition of Assets.
Not applicable.
Item 3. Bankruptcy or Receivership.
Not applicable.
Item 4. Changes in Registrant's Certifying Accountant
Not applicable.
Item 5. Other Events.
BICO, Inc. subsidiary, ViaCirQ, Inc. a leading
developer and marketer of extracorporeal
hyperthermia medical devices, announced that it
has commenced a study with Wake Forest University
Baptist Medical Center utilizing the ThermoChem-HT
System and related disposables to deliver
intraperitoneal hyperthermia (IPH) in combination
with cytoreductive surgery and chemotherapy in the
primary treatment of ovarian cancer.
Item 6. Resignation of Registrant's Directors.
Not Applicable
Item 7. Financial Statement, Pro Forma Financial Information and Exhibits.
(a) Financial Statements and Businesses Acquired - Not Applicable.
(b) Pro Forma Financial Information - Not Applicable.
(c) Exhibits - Press Release.
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirement of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this Report to
be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly
authorized.
BICO, INC.
by /s/ Fred E. Cooper
Fred E. Cooper, CEO
DATED: November 16, 2000
BICO SUBSIDIARY VIACIRQ INC. COMMENCES STUDY IN PRIMARY
TREATMENT OF OVARIAN CANCER
Pittsburgh, PA - November 16, 2000 - BICO, Inc.
(OTCBB:BIKO) subsidiary ViaCirQ, Inc., a leading developer
and marketer of extracorporeal hyperthermia medical devices,
announced that it has commenced a study with Wake Forest
University Baptist Medical Center utilizing the ThermoChem-
HT System and related disposables to deliver intraperitoneal
hyperthermia (IPH) in combination with cytoreductive surgery
and chemotherapy in the primary treatment of ovarian cancer.
Ovarian cancer is the leading cause of death in the
United States from gynecologic malignancies. There are
approximately 26,600 new cases and 14,500 deaths annually.
The majority of patients have advanced disease at the
time of diagnosis, which remains confined to the peritoneal
cavity for extended periods of time.
Approximately 75% of patients with advanced disease
respond to therapy and at the completion of postoperative
chemotherapy, 50% are clinically without evidence of
disease. At second-look reassessment surgery, 50% of these
patients have persistent disease requiring salvage therapy.
Prevention of progressive/recurrence is a major hurdle in
the management of ovarian cancer.
As the only study of its kind in the United States,
intraperitoneal hyperthermia will be administered by the
ThermoChem-HT System as an adjunct to chemotherapy following
the hysterectomy and cytoreductive surgery and repeated 6
months later during second-look surgery if the patient has
no residual disease.
Dr. Samuel Lentz, a Gynecologic Oncologist at Wake
Forest, located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, states,
"The majority of failures in ovarian cancer remain
intraperitoneal. Methods of improving `local control' need
to be developed. This study is an innovative approach in
the management of ovarian carcinoma, combining
intraperitoneal hyperthermia which is known to be cytotoxic
alone with a standard of drug used in ovarian cancer,
carboplatin."
ViaCirQ received FDA clearance to market the ThermoChem-
HT System to raise the core temperature of the abdominal
cavity to the desired targeted temperature in the 41C
(105.8F) to 42C (107.6F) range by continuously lavaging the
abdomen with circulating sterile solution. Intraperitoneal
hyperthermia is used as adjunctive therapy with surgery and
chemotherapy to treat patients with peritoneal
carcinomatosis (advanced cancer of the abdomen).
This treatment was developed clinically at Wake Forest
University Baptist Medical Center and is now offered as a
standard-of-care for peritoneal carcinomatosis. Five-year
data shows patients undergoing this treatment live longer
and have a better quality of life. ViaCirQ has recently
entered into a 3-year agreement with the Medical Center to
provide the ThermoChem-HT System for all Intraperitoneal
Hyperthermia (IPH) procedures.
A major research center, Wake Forest University Baptist
Medical Center, with the ThermoChem-HT System and
disposables for all IPH, provides many of the latest
treatments to patients and leads the way in researching new
and promising therapies of tomorrow.
BICO, Inc. has its corporate offices in Pittsburgh, PA
and is involved in the development and manufacture of
biomedical devices and environmental solutions. BICO's
subsidiary, ViaCirQ, Inc., also located in Pittsburgh, PA,
holds the exclusive worldwide marketing and manufacturing
rights to the ThermoChem-HT System and related disposables
for regional hyperthermia and the ThermoChem System and
related disposables for whole body hyperthermia.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Investors Media
Diane McQuaide Susan Taylor
1.412.429.0673 phone 1.412.429.0673 phone
1.412.279.9690 fax 1.412.279.5041 fax
INVESTOR RELATIONS NEWSLINE NUMBER: 1.800.357.6204
WEBSITE: www.bico.com
