Advanced Oncotherapy completes successful RF power tests of Coupled Cavity Linac unit

19 May 2015 – Advanced Oncotherapy (AIM: AVO), the developer of next-generation proton therapy systems for cancer treatment, announces that the Radio Frequency ("RF") Power tests of the first Coupled Cavity Linac ("CCL") unit have been successfully completed at the Company's testing facility at CERN in line with expectations.

The RF Power units, created by ScandiNova Systems AB ("ScandiNova"), generate the high-power needed to accelerate protons to speeds whereby they can effectively target cancer cells. The RF Power units include the modulator, for the early delivery of which, our partner ScandiNova accepted part payment in shares as announced on 2 April 2015. 

This announcement follows the successful completion in January of the LIGHT system's first CCL unit, an accelerating structure that consists of a series of cells that accelerate protons from energies of 37.5 Mega-electron Volts (MeV) to the full 230MeV required to treat all radiosensitive tumours. 

On 1 May 2015 the Company announced a successful £20m fundraise net of expenses to continue the development of its LIGHT system, with the first unit expected to be installed in Harley Street, London, by the end of 2016 and first patient treatments expected in 2017.

Commenting, Sanjeev Pandya, CEO of Advanced Oncotherapy, said: "In November last year we gave investors a clear pathway towards the delivery of our first LIGHT system and I am delighted that we continue to deliver to this timetable on time and to budget, with the successful RF Power testing of the first CCL unit. Our recent funding has provided the Company with the financial security that we need to deliver our ground-breaking proton therapy technology which we expect will be treating patients in the heart of London in 2017."

• Advanced Oncotherapy

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MedAustron deploys innovative patient positioning system for ion beam treatments

May 11, 2015

8 May 2015 – An innovative system for accurate patient positioning had already received attention at its market launch in 2014. Now the first of these systems has been commissioned at MedAustron, an Austrian Center for Ion Beam Therapy, and will there be used clinically for the first time. Cancer patients can be positioned better than ever before and will thus be able to receive pin-point accuracy radiation treatments.
To guarantee a successful Ion Beam treatment – a particularly accurate and effective form of radiation therapy -, it is essential to position the patient accurately in relation to the radiation beam and to permanently observe and – if necessary – adapt the patient position during the whole treatment session.
MedAustron will be the first Ion Beam Therapy Center worldwide to use completely new medical systems for these tasks: The exacure system of BEC GmbH (Reutlingen, Germany) as well as the Imaging Ring of medPhoton (Salzburg, Austria). Both systems meet the special requirements for Ion Beam Therapy and ensure the highest degree of patient safety. Together they allow for highly accurate and efficient treatments.
A custom-modified industrial robot, designed and adapted for medical use, is the core of the exacure-system. Its most distinctive feature is the ceiling mount, which allows for movement in seven independent degrees of freedom. The robot can not only be positioned in all three dimensions and six degrees of freedom, but also be moved along the ceiling towards and from the beam nozzle in order to further improve flexibility of patient positioning. Another advantage of the ceiling-mounted system is the integrated optical tracking system: it monitors the treatment couch position 500 times per second and applies corrections in real time, if necessary, to ensure optimal treatment results.
The so-called Imaging Ring System (IRS) verifies the correct position of the patient prior to irradiation in order to treat the patient with highest possible accuracy. The IRS is integrated into the patient couch and allows a very fast three-dimensional Cone Beam-CT imaging. The CT images are compared with the CT image set used for treatment planning. Any necessary corrections can be executed by the exacure robot immediately. This procedure guarantees that the tumour is irradiated exactly as planned by the physicians. The IRS – which has already received multiple technology awards – features a flat panel detector and an x-ray tube, assembled in such a way that they can be moved independently. Thereby, previously unreachable acquisition speed, field-of-view and image quality can be achieved and make the IRS the gold standard for image guided particle therapy.
“The unprecedented combination of these new systems at MedAustron provide unique accuracy, speed as well as image quality for radiation therapy, unparalleled in the areas of medical robotics and imaging. We are very proud to have engineered this highly innovative solution together with our partners BEC and medPhoton, establishing new standards in Ion Therapy” commented Dr. Bernd Mößlacher, CEO of MedAustron after the successful acceptance of the systems.
“Accurately irradiating a tumor while sparing the surrounding healthy tissue, calls for the ultimate solution in patient positioning technology. Transferring technology from industrial applications to medical robotics was a key factor to successfully develop the exacure system. Our congratulations go to MedAustron for this unique and innovative treatment center”, pointed out by Matthias Buck, CEO of BEC GmbH.
“After years of pioneering work in the field of image guided radiation therapy, we are very pleased that patients in Ion Bean Therapy will also benefit from robot-controlled positioning combined with unique image guidance”, Heinz Deutschmann, CEO of medPhoton GmbH, added.
• MedAustron

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APSS in Trento Among the First to integrate CT-on-Rails

Having proved its value in conventional radiation therapy over the past 10 years, CT-on-rails is now finding its way into proton therapy treatment rooms. The Trento Proton Therapy Center, part of the Azienda Provinciale per i Servizi Sanitari (APSS) health authority, is the first center to enjoy an IBA-installed in-room CT-on-rails. “We are intent on staying on the cutting edge of technology, embracing every feature that brings our proton therapy installation closer to its full potential,” says Dr. Marco Schwarz, Head of proton Medical Physics of the Trento Proton Therapy Center.

 Whereas Cone Beam CT (CBCT) as an imaging modality mainly contributes to highly accurate positioning of the patient, CT-on-rails goes much further. CT-on-rails brings proton therapy one step closer to adaptive treatment, which will allow real-time adaptation to the configuration of the patient. Tumor shrinking, weight loss or even organ movement would thus be accounted for at each treatment session. Today, CT-on-rails allows for online plan verification, using high quality 3D imaging before each treatment session to evaluate the dose distribution. If necessary, planning can be adapted offline. Ongoing research is working towards online replanning, which will require quick indicators immediately revealing target accuracy and integrated contour propagation.

 The clinical staff at APSS has started the clinical commissioning process, in order to integrate the new imaging option into their treatment protocols. They will work in close collaboration with IBA engineers to further develop the clinical applications of CT-on-rails positioning and the role it can play in adaptive treatments. Together with the two European centers that have already installed CT-on-rails and the installations of this imaging modality that are pending, IBA hopes to found a motivated user group contributing knowledge and experience to bring the technology to its full potential. Ultimately, IBA believes that the combination of Pencil Beam Scanning (PBS) as a delivery method, Cone Beam CT (CBCT) as a positioning tool, and CT-on-rails to assist with treatment plan verification will reduce the error margins of proton therapy treatment to such an extent that it enables better treatment protocols such as hypofractionation. Reducing the number of fractions required per patient to five to 10 from the current average of 25 to 35 would mean a significant reduction in the cost of treatment, while the combination of technologies would permit better tumor control – a goal IBA is eager to support.
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IBA and Toshiba sign strategic partnership in particle therapy

Apr 9, 2015

IBA and Toshiba sign strategic partnership in particle therapy

LOUVAIN-LA-NEUVE AND TOKYO, 9 April 2015 – IBA (Ion Beam Applications S.A.) and Toshiba Corporation (Tokyo: 6502) today announce the signing of a global collaboration to expand access to advanced particle therapy worldwide. Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation will become the distributor in Japan for Proteus®ONE, IBA’s compact single-room proton therapy solution, and IBA will become the agent for Toshiba’s Carbon Therapy Solutions outside Japan.

IBA and Toshiba will collaborate on activities such as customer education for Proteus®ONE and Toshiba's carbon therapy solutions.

The collaboration will also enable both organizations to mutually leverage their Operation and Maintenance (O&M) services.

Olivier Legrain, Chief Executive Officer of IBA commented: “This is an important step for IBA. A closer collaboration with a company of Toshiba’s caliber and leadership will accelerate the expansion of proton therapy in Japan and the introduction of Toshiba’s carbon therapy across the world. Carbon ion therapy is particularly suitable for treating radio-resistant tumors and allows for dose escalation, which is recommended in a number of clinical applications. Through this new collaboration, IBA will further strengthen its world leading position in proton therapy and will reaffirm its leading position in the delivery of the latest innovative cancer therapies worldwide.”

Satoshi Tsunakawa, Chief Executive Officer of Healthcare Company, Toshiba Corporation, said: “Proton and carbon therapies are among the most exciting technological advancements in the treatment of cancer. Toshiba looks forward to collaborating with IBA to enhance access to best-in- class technologies for both proton and carbon therapy centers. Guided by the principles of The Basic Commitment of the Toshiba Group, “Committed to People, Committed to the Future,” this collaboration will give both our companies an enhanced set of tools to provide the best cancer treatment technologies.”

About Proton and Carbon Therapy

Proton Therapy is considered an advanced and targeted cancer radiotherapy treatment due to its superior dose distribution and fewer side effects. Protons deposit the majority of their effective energy within a precisely controlled range, directly within the tumor, sparing healthy surrounding tissue. Higher doses can be delivered to the tumor without increasing the risk of side effects and long-term complications, thereby improving patient outcomes and quality of life.

Carbon ions not only have similar physical characteristics as protons, they have also a higher radiobiological effect compared to photon and proton, which could lead to shorter treatment courses and improved patient outcomes.

About IBA

IBA (Ion Beam Applications S.A.) is a global medical technology company focused on bringing integrated and innovative solutions for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. The Company is the worldwide technology leader in the field of proton therapy, the most advanced form of radiation therapy available today. IBA’s proton therapy solutions are flexible and adaptable, allowing customers to choose from universal full scale proton therapy centers as well as compact, single room systems. In addition, IBA also has a radiation dosimetry business and develops particle accelerators for the medical world and industry.

Headquartered in Belgium and employing about 1100 people worldwide, IBA has installed systems across the world, from Europe and the US and to the emerging markets. IBA is listed on the pan- European stock exchange EURONEXT. (IBA: Reuters IBAB.BR and Bloomberg IBAB.BB) and more information can be found at: www.iba-worldwide.com

About Toshiba

Toshiba Corporation, a Fortune 500 company, channels world-class capabilities in advanced electronic and electrical products and systems into five strategic business domains: Energy & Infrastructure, Community Solutions, Healthcare Systems & Services, Electronic Devices & Components, and Lifestyles Products & Services. Guided by the principles of The Basic Commitment of the Toshiba Group, “Committed to People, Committed to the Future,” Toshiba promotes global operations towards securing “Growth Through Creativity and Innovation” and is contributing to the achievement of a world in which people everywhere live in a safe, secure and comfortable society.

Founded in Tokyo in 1875, today’s Toshiba is at the heart of a global network of over 590 consolidated companies employing over 200,000 people worldwide, with annual sales surpassing 6.5 trillion yen (US$63 billion). To find out more about Toshiba, visit www.toshiba.co.jp/index.htm

Toshiba newly formed its Healthcare Company last August to focus its healthcare business as one of three pillars of its overall business. By combining diagnostic imaging technology provided by Toshiba Medical Systems and accelerator and super conducting technology derived from nuclear business, Toshiba is delivering Heavy Ion Therapy system for cancer treatment. Toshiba has been contributing to Japanese National Institute of Radiological Sciences and Kanagawa Cancer Center.

Provision Healthcare and Tianjin Taishan Cancer Hospital Partner to Develop Proton Center in China

CONTACT:  Bill Hansen   |  (865) 360-1015   |   bill.hansen@provisionhp.com

Knoxville, TN—Provision Healthcare has signed a joint agreement with the Tianjin Taishan Cancer Hospital (International Personalized Cancer Center, “IPCC”) in northern China to build the first and only proton therapy center in the free trade zone and develop a training facility for medical providers as part of the company’s global expansion strategy.

The $100 million (USD) center will be jointly owned and operated by Provision and Tianjin hospital and named the TAEA Sino-US Proton Treatment and Research Center. ProNova Solutions, Provision’s R&D and manufacturing business, will manufacture and outfit the center’s three treatment rooms with its SC360 proton treatment system. The project is scheduled for completion in early 2018.

Proton therapy uses a single beam of high-energy protons to precisely target a tumor with limited exposure to surrounding healthy tissues. Proton therapy is used to treat a variety of cancer types including prostate, breast, lung, head and neck, pediatric cancer and Hodgkin’s lymphoma. 

The venture will include a research capability for conducting clinical trials focused on further development of proton therapy in northern China. Additionally, the partners will develop and build a nearby training center to educate medical personnel as the use of proton therapy expands across the country.  

“As the name indicates, Tianjin Taishan Hospital (IPCC) strives to provide personalized cancer treatment,” said Dr. Xishan Hao, president of the Chinese Anti-Cancer Association, honorary president of Tianjin Medical University and Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, director of the Tianjin Cancer Institute. “ProNova’s advanced technology will help Tianjin Taishan Hospital become the first provider for proton therapy in a free trade zone of China. The network of proton therapy centers that Provision have created will bring Taishan to the front row of global cancer research.”

“This partnership and investment with Tianjin Taishan Cancer Hospital in these projects is the next step in Provision’s strategy of making proton therapy available around the world,” said Terry Douglass, Chairman and CEO of Provision Healthcare. “Our goal is to make the proton center a “Center of Excellence” in the Asia-Pacific region. With our projects in the United States and Oxford in the United Kingdom, we’ve created a global strategic network that covers America, Europe and Asia.”

The proton center’s three treatment rooms will include two 360-degree rotation gantrys and one fixed beam system, and Provision will be responsible for operation and maintenance of the equipment. Provision will be involved in design and development of the project as well as management of patient services, replicating the “Culture of Care” model found at the Provision Center for Proton Therapy in Knoxville, Tennessee, USA. 

 

About Provision Healthcare
Provision Healthcare is a comprehensive healthcare group in the United States integrating clinical services, R&D, manufacturing, investment and a charitable foundation.  With an emphasis in cancer, Provision Healthcare is committed to providing cutting edge treatment, early detection and personalized care for cancer patients around the world.

About ProNova Solutions
As a division of Provision Healthcare, ProNova Solutions is committed to making proton therapy accessible to a greater number of patients and physicians worldwide. Founded by the leaders of CTI Molecular Imaging, ProNova’s team brought positron emission tomography (PET) technology out of the laboratory and made it a clinical reality for millions of cancer patients. Its SC360 system reduces cost of construction and maintenance, improves reliability and features additional systems functions including superconducting magnets for supplying and directing the beams of protons, cone-beam CT, PET scanning for precise location of the tumors and monitoring effectiveness of treatment, and pencil beam scanning for precise application of the proton radiation and quality control.  

About Provision Center for Proton Therapy
Provision Center for Proton Therapy is the first cancer treatment center of its kind in Tennessee and only the second in the Southeastern United States.  Open to all credentialed physicians and health systems in the region, the Provision Center for Proton Therapy has three treatment rooms and is able to treat up to 900 cancer patients annually.  Treatments typically require daily 30-45 minute sessions for four to eight weeks. The next closest location offering proton therapy is more than 450 miles away.  The center has brought to Knoxville and the world an advanced cancer treatment capability that presently is available in only a handful of cities. It is one of only 14 in the nation and 46 in the world.  

About Tianjin Taishan Cancer Hospital
The Tianjin Taishan Cancer Hospital, located in the Tianjin Airport Economic Area (“TAEA”), is the first personalized cancer medical center in China. Leveraging the free trade zone’s policy and advantages, the Hospital focuses on developing biological immune treatment, bone marrow transplant, functional surgery and precise and accurate radio therapy, characterized by precise and accurate comprehensive cancer treatment.

- See more at: http://pronovasolutions.com/media-room/provision-healthcare-and-tianjin-taishan-cancer-hospital-partner-to-develop/#sthash.AY65TqPg.dpuf
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First commercial sale of LIGHT proton therapy system

25 March 2015 – Advanced Oncotherapy (AIM: AVO), the developer of next-generation proton therapy systems for cancer treatment, announces that Sinophi Healthcare Limited ("Sinophi") has signed a purchase agreement for one LIGHT proton therapy system to be installed in a hospital in China. This follows a number of on-going Letters of Intent to purchase the system as well as the announcement of a Harley Street facility to house the first LIGHT machine in London and represents the Company's first full commercial purchase order.

Sinophi is a UK company investing in and managing public general and specialty hospitals in China, providing them with the best and most affordable technology to improve patient outcomes. Sinophi expects to install Advanced Oncotherapy's LIGHT system as part of its oncology hospital project in Huai'an City, in Jiangsu province, East China. The initial purchase price for the accelerator is around US$40m with the final price dependent on customisations and treatment options selected by Sinophi. Payment will be satisfied through a schedule of milestone payments. Under the agreement, Advanced Oncotherapy will build and install the LIGHT machine as well as providing long-term maintenance and support once the system has been installed and becomes operational.

Sinophi is creating a regional oncology hospital with a planned project total investment of over $200 million. Construction of the first phase of the project is expected to start in early 2016. The LIGHT system will form a key part of this overall oncology project, supporting up to three treatment rooms, one of which will have a gantry. Once completed the hospital will be one of the most advanced oncology facilities in China, serving a catchment area of more than 20 million people in Huai'an City and the surrounding areas of North Jiangsu province. Advanced Oncotherapy's LIGHT systems will make Huai'an City and Sinophi's partner hospitals leaders in the field of proton beam cancer treatment in China.

Sinophi's oncology hospital project partners include Huai'an City's two largest hospitals: Huai'an First People's Hospital (3,000 beds) and Huai Yin District Hospital (1,000 beds). Sinophi has a hospital management joint venture with Huai'an First People's Hospital and, with its financial partners led by Morgan Stanley Private Equity Asia, has invested in Huai Yin District Hospital in a US$130m deal announced in December 2014.

The size of the cancer treatment challenge in China and the opportunity for Advanced Oncotherapy is illustrated by data from the World Health Organisation's "World Cancer Report". In 2012, China had 3.07 million newly diagnosed cancer cases, 21.8% of the world total. China also had 2.2 million or 26.9% of the world's total cancer deaths. The report states China registered the most new cancer cases and deaths from four types of malignant cancer: liver, oesophagus, stomach and lung.

In addition to this first project, Sinophi has signed an exclusive 15-year agreement with Advanced Oncotherapy to become the Company's first tier distributor for the LIGHT system in China and a number of other countries in Southeast Asia.

Commenting on the agreement, Sanjeev Pandya, CEO of Advanced Oncotherapy, said: "We are delighted to have signed our first commercial purchase order for our LIGHT system and to have teamed up with an excellent partner. I look forward to working with the Sinophi team on this first installation in China and have no doubt that this partnership will provide us with wider access into the China market. We continue to work towards our first operational facilities in Syracuse, New York, and Harley Street, London, and I am confident that this deal is the first of many commercial opportunities for our LIGHT system around the world."

Commenting on the agreement, Hanif Kanji, CEO of Sinophi said: "We are very excited to be working with Advanced Oncotherapy to bring this cutting edge LIGHT system to China. We are very pleased to be able to offer patients in Sinophi's hospitals and other hospitals across China and Southeast Asia access to proton treatment technology. AVO's system is substantially lower in cost compared to current technology and it delivers performance advantages in treating a variety of cancer conditions. Offering affordable proton therapy through our public hospitals fits very well with Sinophi's goal of offering quality, affordable and accessible healthcare to all patients in China."

About Advanced Oncotherapy Plc www.avoplc.com

Advanced Oncotherapy's team based at CERN in Geneva focuses on the development of a proprietary proton accelerator called Linac Image Guided Hadron Technology (LIGHT). LIGHT accelerates protons to the energy levels achieved in legacy machines but in a unit that is a quarter of the size and between a quarter and a fifth of the cost. This compact configuration delivers proton beams in a way that facilitates a greater precision and electronic control which is not achievable with older technologies.

Advanced Oncotherapy is a provider of particle therapy with protons that harnesses the best in modern technology. As a result, Advanced Oncotherapy will offer healthcare providers affordable systems that will enable them to treat cancer with an innovative technology as well as better health outcomes and lower treatment related side effects.

Advanced Oncotherapy continually monitors the market for any emerging improvements in delivering proton therapy and actively seeks working relationships with providers of these innovative technologies. Through these relationships, the Company will remain the prime provider of an innovative and cost-effective system for particle therapy with protons.

About Sinophi Healthcare www.sinophi.com

Sinophi Healthcare is a UK company investing in and managing hospitals in China, focused on public general and specialty hospitals. Sinophi works in partnership with hospitals in China's rapidly growing urban areas to deliver improvements in the delivery of healthcare. Sinophi brings to hospitals in China international hospital expertise, links with hospitals in the UK's National Health Service system and partnerships with leading UK and international healthcare service and product partners.

Huai'an City

Huai'an City (population 5.5 million) is located in Jiangsu province (population 80 million, next to Shanghai) in East China. Huai'an City is a famous cultural and trading center on the Grand Canal and is the hometown of former Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai.

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