Bangalore July 17, 2009

Narayana Hrudayalaya, one of the world's largest cardiac hospitals, announced the launch of its cancer treatment facility, Mazumdar Shaw Cancer Centre located at their Health City campus today. The hospital is named after Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, CMD, Biocon, who holds a 2.5% stake in the hospital in her personal capacity.

Built in a 5 lakh sq ft facility, the 1400-bed Mazumdar Shaw Cancer Centre is the world's largest cancer hospital with a particular focus on head and neck cancer, breast cancer and cervical cancer. The hospital, apart from the highly qualified and dedicated in-house doctors, draws medical expertise from a pantheon of world renowned medical universities like Cornell.

Dr. Devi Prasad Shetty, Chairman, Narayana Hrudayalaya, said, "In India, cancer is the most common cause of death after cardiovascular disease. Unfortunately cancer is detected at a late stage, significantly increasing the mortality of the patient. To add to the woes of the patients, treatment of cancer is extremely expensive. With this hospital, we aim at addressing this very problem of economics and ensure immediate, effective and most importantly, affordable treatment to every patient that walks into the hospital."

The hospital which has the active support of Biocon founder Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, has been set up to decouple cancer care with affluence and to bring about a discernable change in the approach to cancer care in India.

Biocon Chairman and Managing Director, Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw commented, "I am extremely pleased to associate with the philanthropic idea institutionalized by Dr Devi Shetty through Narayana Hrudayalaya. The existing outlook to treat cancer is not enough to combat the disease stemming out of the changing lifestyles of people in India. A much more comprehensive, research based treatment protocol is required to strike a balance between making medical assistance available to those in need and developing an effective and hassle-free cancer treatment."

It is not only the Wal-Mart replica that sets the hospital apart. The hospital is developing a specialized team towards a focused approach at specific body regions which identifies individual characteristics of cancers. Every cancer patient who visits the Mazumdar-Shaw Cancer Center for treatment is not subject to an individual’s decision but that of a 'Tumor-Board', a multidisciplinary dedicated team for each region of the body.

The hospital has also embarked on a comprehensive strategy to reach out to the masses. The ongoing cancer screening camp at the Health City campus is the first of the many camps that the hospital is planning to duplicate across all districts in Karnataka. Any patient suspected or diagnosed with cancer can call either 080 – 2215 2020 or 9686600986 for queries or appointment with the hospital. The patients can avail the facilities and treatment at the hospital. People coming from lower socio economic strata will be offered treatment free of cost or at concessional rate.