RaySearch enters agreement with Sumitomo for boron neutron capture therapy

20 November 2017 – RaySearch and Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Ltd. (Sumitomo), based in Tokyo, Japan, have entered into an agreement regarding treatment planning for boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) – a unique type of radiation therapy that targets cancer at the cellular level. The agreement extends the existing cooperation between Sumitomo and RaySearch on proton therapy.

Sumitomo has developed the world’s first accelerator-based clinical BNCT system and is conducting clinical trials regarding recurrent head-and-neck and brain cancers in Japan.  Treatment planning is an essential aspect of BNCT, and Sumitomo selected RayStation because of its advanced capabilities and usability. 

Under the agreement, RayStation’s functionality will be extended to support BNCT planning requirements*. BNCT will be an additional treatment modality in RayStation, alongside the existing options for photon, electron, proton, and carbon ion therapy. Users of BNCT will have access to the full range of advanced functionality in RayStation, including atlas-based segmentation, deformable image registration and scripting. 

BNCT is a promising radiation therapy technique based on a two-step process. First, the patient is injected with a tumor-localizing drug containing the non-radioactive isotope boron-10. In the second step, the target area is exposed to a beam of low-energy neutrons, many of which are absorbed by the boron-10. The absorption initiates a reaction in which short-range, high-energy charged particles are emitted. These particles systematically destroy the tumor cells, with minimal damage to adjacent healthy tissue.

Tetsuya Okamura, Senior Vice President and General Manager Industrial Equipment Division at Sumitomo, says: “We are very pleased to work with RaySearch in developing future technologies such as BNCT.  This is an emerging treatment method, and there is still a long way to go, but I believe our collaboration will accelerate commercialization of the modality and provide great benefits for cancer patients and hospitals.”

Johan Löf, CEO of RaySearch, says: “RaySearch is committed to supporting cutting-edge techniques and approaches that have the potential to improve cancer treatment. This agreement presents exciting new possibilities, and we look forward to exploring the clinical possibilities of BNCT together with Sumitomo.”

©

Miami Cancer Institute awarded cancer research and education grant by IBA

RESTON, VA, 17 November 2017 – IBA (Ion Beam Applications SA), the world’s leading provider of proton therapy solutions for the treatment of cancer, today announced that the company will collaborate with Miami Cancer Institute at Baptist Hospital of Miami to develop a significant cancer research and education program. The grant is earmarked to further proton therapy research and education by helping pave the way for broader clinical indications of proton therapy. It will also promote physics, dosimetry, preclinical and clinical research approaches to enhance the effectiveness of this cancer treatment being offered for the very first time in South Florida.

Miami Cancer Institute is equipped with the most comprehensive suite of advanced radiotherapy equipment highlighted by the state-of-the-art IBA Proteus®PLUS solution equipped with a three-gantry, beam matched configuration using a dual-spot, robotic couch and pencil beam scanning delivery technique that is guided by surface and Cone-beam CT imaging. The proton therapy center will be the first in South Florida with extensive reach to the Caribbean, Latin America and beyond. The $430 million Institute also provides a world-class array of advanced radiation therapy treatment options including Gamma Knife radiosurgery, CyberKnife stereotactic radiation therapy, tomotherapy and volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT), brachytherapy, MR guided linac-based radiation therapy, GRID therapy, and radioisotope therapy. Miami Cancer Institute is one of the only cancer centers in the world to offer all of the latest radiation therapy modalities under one roof. Additionally, Miami Cancer Institute clinical research trials and personalized genomic/molecular medicine are all delivered in a highly sophisticated, patient-friendly environment with the highest quality clinical standards as established with the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Alliance.

“We are honored to partner with this esteemed cancer facility on furthering research focused on advancing proton therapy treatment for cancer patients.”shared Beth Klein, President IBA North America. “We support the vision and direction of Dr. Minesh Mehta, M.D., Deputy Director of the Miami Cancer Institute, Chief of Radiation Oncology for Baptist Health, and Professor and Chair of the Department of Radiation Oncology at Florida International University, to establish Miami Cancer Institute as a world class center for research and education in proton therapy with the goal to provide better outcomes for cancer patients. We look forward to the significant contributions Dr. Mehta and his team will make to proton therapy and patient treatments.”

Nicolas Bronchart, Executive Vice President of R&D, commented, ”Dr.Mehta has pulled together a world-class team of clinicians and medical physicists that will deliver his vision of establishing Miami Cancer Institute as a center for some of the most advanced cancer radiation therapy options. Our work together at Miami Cancer Institute will not only benefit the patients of South Florida but will potentially impact how cancer is treated throughout the world.”

Dr. Mehta stated: “Because Baptist Hospital and Miami Cancer Institute have committed major resources to the enhancement of comprehensive cancer care and research in the region, we have been very successful in attracting the best and most highly qualified individuals from around the world to participate in this exciting program which can be best characterized as having an optimal balance between the highest quality cancer care and cutting-edge research. This major research and educational grant further enhances this critical mission of ours.”

©

IBA and Elekta team up on proton therapy

SAN DIEGO, 23 September 2017 – IBA (Ion Beam Applications) and Elekta (EKTA-B.ST) announced today that they have entered a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to agree to work closely together in software development as well as the sales and marketing of each other's products. The announcement was made at the occasion of the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) Annual Meeting, which is taking place September 24-27 in San Diego. 

The companies intend to co-invest in developing new functionality for proton therapy treatment in Elekta's Monaco® treatment planning system and MOSAIQ® oncology information system. The purpose is to offer a more seamless experience for comprehensive radiotherapy departments and further improve patient care. 

In addition to the software development collaboration, both companies expect to offer a joint portfolio of radiation therapy solutions and co-market each other's products, based on a shared vision of integration and adaptive radiation therapy. 

Richard Hausmann, President and CEO of Elekta, says: "We believe that proton therapy is an important tool in radiation treatment for specific indications and we are very pleased to partner with IBA, the global leader in proton therapy, to further integrate their products into our software solutions." 

Olivier Legrain, IBA CEO, adds: "Elekta has always been a pioneer in the field of radiation therapy. Our culture of innovation and collaboration fits well with Elekta and we are excited to join forces based on a shared vision of integration." 

©

Penn Medicine treats world's first patient on Halcyon System

PALO ALTO, CA, 21 September 2017 – Varian Medical Systems (NYSE: VAR) today announced a patient at Penn Medicine, with head & neck cancer, became the first person in the world to be treated on Varian's Halcyon™ system, its new platform for cancer treatment. Halcyon is well suited to handle the majority of cancer patients, offering advanced treatments for prostate, breast, head & neck, and many other forms of cancer.

The treatment for this patient at Penn Medicine was a complex case that involved the delivery of nine fields. The total patient time in the treatment room, including set-up, imaging, three minutes of beam time and patient discharge, was only 13 minutes*. Typically, a treatment like this using other radiation technology can take 10 minutes of beam time and 20 minutes total treatment time. Halcyon is an advanced system that is more comfortable for the patient while delivering ease of use for healthcare providers, accelerated installation timeframes, expedited commissioning, simplified training, and automated treatment.

“The first patient treatment is a major milestone for the Halcyon system," said Kolleen Kennedy, president of Varian's Oncology Systems business. "Working closely with leading institutions like Penn Medicine, helped shape the human-centered design focus of Halcyon and our ability to deliver a system that simplifies and enhances virtually every aspect of image-guided volumetric intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT). We are excited to see treatments commencing and continuing our efforts of advancing cost-effective cancer care worldwide." "We are proud to have delivered the world's first Halcyon treatment, which contributes to our ongoing mission to provide patients the widest and most advanced array of cancer treatment options," said James Metz, MD, chair of Radiation Oncology at Penn Medicine. "This platform combines reduced treatment time with simplified operation, and for some diseases, it even lets us be more precise with the radiation we're delivering."

For more information on Halcyon, visit www.varian.com/halcyon

*Results may vary

©

First use of gating techniques with active scanning proton therapy in Trento

Trento, Italy, 26 September 2017 - The Trento Azienda Provinciale per i Servizi Sanitari (APSS) and IBA announce the successful completion of the first gated treatment at the Proton Therapy Center in Trento.

For the first time, the clinical team in Trento completed a gated treatment for a patient affected by unresectable thymoma. They delivered active scanning proton therapy by synchronizing the proton beams with the patient respiratory cycle. This technique was performed through real time tracking of the patient's respiratory motion, without any use of physical marker (Vision RT ®). The technology of Vision RT ® tracks the patient's 3D surface in real time, which enhances patient comfort and safety, and improves the efficiency of the treatment by the clinical team.

GateCT® was used to track the patient's breathing during the CT scanning and thereby enabling 4DCT acquisition and reconstruction. The evaluation of the interplay effect for a free-breathing treatment is performed using the different phases of the 4DCT.

During treatment delivery, accurate gating was ensured, allowing automatic beam hold when the breathing amplitude was higher than the one measured during the 4DCT scan. 

Dr. Maurizio Amichetti, MD, Clinical Director of the Proton Therapy Center, commented: "This is a big step towards the full implementation of moving-target treatments with pencil beam scanning in our center. The moving-target project team leaders, Dr Francesco Dionisi, MD and Dr Francesco Fracchiolla, M.Sc., reported impressive results in terms of treatment feasibility and efficacy. We are really proud to improve every day with the goal of translating research projects in a clinical benefit for our patients".

Anne Peters, Executive Vice President at IBA added: "At IBA, developing solutions that are clinically significant for the patients and that ease the work of our customers in their clinical practice is our priority. Many patients benefit from the complete solution that we offer for effective treatment of the moving-targets.

©

Advanced Oncotherapy updates on development of LIGHT proton therapy system

4 Sepember 2017 – Advanced Oncotherapy (AIM: AVO), the developer of next-generation proton therapy systems for cancer treatment, announces that it remains on schedule with the development of the first LIGHT system, with successful integration of three key elements of the device. The first Side Coupled Drift Tube Linac ("SCDTL") accelerating module has been integrated with the Radiofrequency Quadrupole ("RFQ") and proton source, with functionality of the combination and further proton acceleration confirmed through the measurement of the proton beam through all integrated units.  

On 6 March 2017, the Company announced the acceleration of a proton beam through the integrated proton source and RFQ, at the maximum design-anticipated energy of 5 MeV.  

The addition of the first SCDTL is significant as:
1.    It is the first module in the next group of accelerating structures i.e. the SCDTLs. This successful integration confirms the SCDTL design concept and will facilitate the addition of subsequent SCDTL modules.
2.    The proton beam was recorded at 7.5MeV, as expected.  This achievement further validates the design, manufacturing and integration of the LIGHT system.
3.    As with the RFQ, acceleration of the proton beam at relatively low energies is more challenging than at higher ones; this result is, therefore, an important milestone in LIGHT's development.  

When fully integrated with the proton source and RFQ, it is anticipated that four SCDTLs will be capable of producing a proton beam of 37.5MeV.  

Commenting, Nicolas Serandour, CEO of Advanced Oncotherapy, said: "All of our tests to generate and accelerate a proton beam have been successful and this represents significant progress in validating the capabilities of the first in the next group of accelerating components. This is another notable achievement for the team in Geneva and paves the way for the integration and validation of subsequent SCDTL modules.  

"We can confirm that, following these successful trials, the Company remains on track to build a proton therapy system capable of treating superficial tumours by the end of Q3 2018."

©

Varian expands clinicians' cancer-fighting toolkit with Eclipse 15.5

PALO ALTO, CALIF., 18 September 2017 – Varian Medical Systems (NYSE: VAR) today announced the newest release of its treatment planning system, Eclipse 15.5. This new release has received FDA 510(k) clearance, and incorporates several new treatment capabilities that offer clinicians the ability to create more precise treatment plans quickly. Eclipse 15.5 also provides treatment planning support for Varian's HyperArc HDRT, a new type of radiosurgery treatment.

Eclipse 15.5 features MCO, which allows clinicians to explore what happens when different clinical criteria are varied; such as the degree to which particular organs are spared versus coverage of the targeted tumor.  MCO leverages both RapidPlan™ and the existing optimization workflows to expedite finding the optimal plan for a given patient with minimal trial and error iterations.

For efficient treatment planning and automated delivery of complex stereotactic radiosurgery, Eclipse 15.5 now supports HyperArc. This new type of radiosurgery treatment is designed to capitalize on the unique capabilities of Varian's TrueBeam® and EDGE™ treatment platforms. HyperArc treatments exploit specific capabilities of the platforms to deliver more compact radiation doses that can fully saturate a targeted tumor and "fall off" sharply outside the target zone, minimizing and, where necessary, even eliminating dose to specific organs requiring more protection.

To increase the speed of plan development, Eclipse 15.5 offers Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) support. This enables clinicians to utilize GPU technology to optimize and quickly calculate the dose with Eclipse, including IMRT optimization and the intermediate dose calculation within the optimization.

"With Eclipse 15.5 we have seen an instant improvement in plan quality when using MCO, across a wide range of treatment sites," said Suzanne Currie, clinical scientific lead at Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre. "We have been able to reduce doses to organs at risk to levels that could not have been envisaged before now, while at the same time tumour coverage has been maintained or even improved. Even in this short timeframe of using MCO, I would not want to plan without it." 

"Eclipse 15.5 provides clinicians with powerful new tools to quickly create optimized treatment plans that are unique to each patient," said Ed Vertatschitsch, vice president, global portfolio solutions, Varian Medical Systems. "Additionally, the ability to utilize HyperArc for complex stereotactic radiosurgery is a significant step forward in the fight against cancer."

"It can typically take many hours to create treatment plans for each patient," said James Kavanaugh, instructor of Radiation Oncology and chief of affiliate satellite medical physics services at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. "When we evaluated about 160 patient treatment plans using the software, we found that it could help us more efficiently explore clinical tradeoffs of various treatment plans and improve the overall plan quality for the majority of cases."

For more information on Eclipse 15.5, visit http://www.varian.com/news/eclipse

©

Berlin approves Kuka sale to Midea

The German government has given the green light to a planned sale of robotics firm Kuka to Chinese appliance maker Midea, saying the controversial takeover doesn't hurt Germany's national interests. 

A spokesman for the German Economics Ministry said on Wednesday that the ministry wouldn't launch a formal probe under German export laws into the planned sale. An initial study had produced no evidence the takeover would threaten "the security and the public order of Germany," Andreas Audretsch told German regional television station Bayerischer Rundfunk. "The ministry can only launch a formal inquiry against the sale if crucial German interests such as telecommunications or water and power safety are affected," he added. However, Audretsch also said that Economics Minister Sigmar Gabriel would seek to initiate a public debate about how "Europe's open societies" would deal with unfair competition in future.  

China says Kuka bid not about politics. 

Takeover controversy. 

Chinese appliance giant Midea has secured a stake of more than 90 percent in the German industrial robotics supplier Kuka, with a multi-billion-euro offer that stoked controversy in Europe. Midea offered 115 euros ($130) per share for Kuka, valuing the firm at 4.6 billion euros - a premium of nearly 60 percent. Beijing has pushed Chinese companies to "go out" and invest in foreign targets to increase their technological capabilities and seek new markets as economic growth slows at home. But the Kuka deal has raised concerns in Europe about the transfer of high-end technology to a Chinese company which has so far been known only for selling washing machines and air conditioners. Some officials in Brussels and Berlin were reported to oppose a Chinese takeover of the firm. The powerful IG Metall trade union even sought to find different buyers for Kuka shares, pushing for a 25.1 percent stake previously owned by technology company Voith to remain in German hands. But no competing buyer came forward, and Voith sold Midea its shares for 1.2 billion euros, saying the sale made sense for both sides. 

 ©

Unleashing the power of proton therapy with machine learning

Proton therapy is a rapidly developing cancer treatment modality with great potential to increase quality of life during and after cancer treatment. One advantage of proton therapy with pencil-beam scanning is that it offers improved accuracy and reduced dose to healthy tissues. If we look at proton therapy centers that are currently under construction or close to breaking ground, the number of operational treatment rooms will likely double within the next five years.¹

While patients will have more access to proton therapy, the growth of new centers presents new challenges. Particularly, as more proton therapy centers come online, the number of clinical professionals with previous proton therapy experience may be limited. How do we bridge the clinical treatment planning and management learning curve? How do we ensure that the quality of treatment plans does not vary across institutions due to the experience and knowledge of each individual planner? Additionally, how do we efficiently and effectively decide which patients would benefit from proton therapy instead of traditional radiotherapy?

One way to mitigate these challenges is to mine the libraries of previous patients treated with proton therapy to extract knowledge. This knowledge could then be distributed amongst the growing proton network to help bridge learning curves and provide a quality assurance framework. It may sound abstract, but Varian's RapidPlan™ Software has already demonstrated that a knowledge-based approach to treatment planning in radiation therapy can increase quality while reducing inter-planner/clinic variation. With the current development of RapidPlan for protons, we are looking forward to bringing this technology to the proton community. 

Varian's RapidPlan Knowledge-Based Planning Software

How it Works
In a radiation oncology context, machine learning works by training a model based on a set of previous patients using anatomy information, beam geometry, and a representative measure of the treatment plan quality called the dose volume histogram (DVH) as inputs. The model can then predict the DVH for a new patient, representative of the clinical practice captured in the scope of the model and clinical goals. The predicted plan for a new patient can be quite useful in the treatment planning process as it provides the treatment planner an informed optimization starting point, greatly reducing the need for time-consuming, manual trial-and-error processes. 

Several recent studies support the benefits of applying a knowledge-based approach to treatment planning. In a photon case study comparing the knowledge based planning (KBP) approach to manual plan generation at Radiation Oncology Queensland, Australia, (ROQ), manual input took 3.5 times longer compared to using RapidPlan.² Also in this study, investigators found that RapidPlan closed the quality gap between unexperienced and experienced planners - both groups were able to generate high quality plans using RapidPlan regardless of their level of expertise. Another study from the University of Washington, St. Louis reinforced this result. By examining plan quality variation, they found that the KBP approach significantly reduced variation among treatment planners while increasing the quality of plans.³

Knowledge-Guided Decision Support
As an increasing number of patients gain access to proton therapy, how can clinicians determine which patients would be appropriate to refer to a proton therapy center for treatment? Currently, the decision to treat patients by protons or photons is done by generating comparative treatment plans, which is time-consuming and challenging. In the first study of its kind, researchers from VU University Medical Center (VUMC) in Amsterdam, were able to build a decision support tool using RapidPlan predictions. They did this by creating radiotherapy and proton therapy RapidPlan dose prediction models for head and neck cancer and then used these models to predict which treatment modality would spare more healthy tissue. According to VUMC researchers, RapidPlan model-based dose prediction capabilities may help eliminate the need to make a comparative plan, allowing for quick decisions based on a chosen threshold: 

"This is the first investigation which demonstrates the feasibility of patient selection for proton therapy based solely on patient-specific knowledge-based predictions of proton and photon plan dosimetry, without necessitating actual plan creation."⁴

In the near future, this knowledge-based planning approach could also potentially be used to predict the side effects of proton therapy vs. radiotherapy. By linking the normal tissue complication probability models to each treatment plan model for each modality, clinicians could predict the likelihood of a patient-specific adverse side effects based on different estimated doses. This approach could easily be extended to take patients' preferences into account, allowing them to choose their treatment based on likelihood of toxicities.

Conclusion
As advancements in physics, radiobiology, and software technologies continue to accelerate, we are just starting to explore the full potential that proton therapy may hold. Solutions like Varian's RapidPlan can help clinicians unleash the power of proton therapy by helping to ensure the highest quality of care while also paving a much-needed pathway for decision support. Through continued work with our clinical partners, we are hopeful that we can continue to find innovative solutions that address real clinical needs with the goal of making a difference in cancer care.

¹MedRaysIntel Proton World Therapy Market Report (2016 Edition)
²Case Study:  Assuring Quality and Consistency in Treatment Planning with RapidPlan at Radiation Oncology Queensland
³Moore, K.L. et al. Experience-Based Quality Control of Clinical Intensity-Modulated Radiotherapy Planning. IJROBP 81(2): 545-551 (2011) 
⁴Using a knowledge-based planning solution to select patients for proton therapy.” Delaney, A. et al. Radiation Oncology (in press) 2017. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.radonc.2017.03.020

©

Varian to provide full software range for new proton therapy centres in UK and Denmark

PALO ALTO, CALIF., 1 August 2017 – Varian Medical Systems (NYSE: VAR) has received orders to provide full suites of software for national proton therapy centers now being constructed in the Denmark and the U.K. Varian is currently equipping the Danish Center for Particle Therapy in Aarhus and the University College London Hospitals (UCLH) proton therapy center with its state-of-the-art ProBeam® proton therapy system and both centers have now confirmed that Varian will supply its Eclipse™ treatment planning and ARIA® oncology information management software for the sites.

"We are delighted that both of these major new facilities will be equipped with Varian's software as well as our ProBeam system," says Moataz Karmalawy, general manager of Varian's particle therapy business. "By combining ProBeam with our world-class software, these new facilities will be able to offer the most advanced proton therapy treatments available, making a big difference to cancer patients in both countries."

"Varian's Eclipse treatment planning software has advanced proton-specific features and supports adaptive workflow which is important for the development of proton therapy," said Ole Norrevang, head of physics at the Danish Center for Particle Therapy. "We also believe that the integrated environment of the Varian software and the ProBeam system will support an efficient workflow as well as providing proton planning access for users in our national network of referring centers." 

Varian recently installed the cyclotron at the Danish Center for Particle Therapy site in Aarhus and clinical treatments are expected to start in 2018.

The new proton therapy center at UCLH is one of two National Health Service high proton centers being constructed in the U.K. – the other is at the Christie Hospital in Manchester – and treatments are expected to start at UCLH in 2020. 

"We chose Varian's ARIA and Eclipse software because they provide a completely integrated solution between treatment planning and the ProBeam system as well as our current TrueBeam® linear accelerators," said Derek D'Souza, head of radiotherapy physics at UCLH. "This platform will provide patients with the most cutting-edge proton treatments and will enable us to continue to innovate and develop further."

Proton therapy makes it possible to treat certain types of cancer more precisely and with potentially fewer side effects than is possible with conventional radiation therapy. With proton therapy, the risk of damage to healthy tissues and potential side effects is reduced because the beam stops and deposits dose within the tumor site rather than passing all the way through the patient. Varian's ProBeam system is the first to offer fully-integrated intensity modulated proton therapy (IMPT) to enable more efficient adaptive proton therapy. Varian is the global leader in radiotherapy hardware and software and in recent years the company has extended this leadership to the proton therapy field. 

©

Successful Usability Evaluation of the In-Room CT Workflow on the ProBeam® System at Holland Particle Therapy Centre

 
User-focused design is a corner stone of Varian’s product realization process to ensure that our products not just effectively meet users’ needs but delight our users.

Varian measures user experience by the following characteristics:

Effectiveness – how well does the system enable users to accomplish tasks and goals

Safety – how free an environment is from danger, risk, and injury (given that our environment includes multiple hardware and software subsystems, facilities, people, etc.)

Efficiency – how much effort and time it takes to accomplish tasks and goals

Satisfaction – the users’ perceptions and subjective reactions towards accomplishing tasks and goals

Recently, the workflow for the in-room CT solution on the ProBeam system was subjected to user evaluations by multiple users at Holland Particle Therapy Centre (HollandPTC).  HollandPTC collaborated intensively with Varian on the integration of the in-room CT with the ProBeam system. Specifically, three medical physicists and three radiation therapists employed at HollandPTC rendered their feedback on the in-room CT workflow from patient selections, image matching, user interface feedback, interface labeling, and several use-related hazards specific to the in-room CT workflow. 

The environment utilized during this formative usability session included the following elements:

ARIA® v13.7
ProBeam treatment table
ProBeam treatment and imaging applications
Siemens SOMATOM Confidence® RT Pro CT

Varian’s in-room CT solution on the ProBeam system will complement our current imaging offerings for the gantry and fixed beam rooms.

Nienke Hoffmans-Holtzer, medical physicist at HollandPTC, highlighted the need for rapid soft tissue imaging, not only for position verification, but also for adaptive treatment planning. “We will start our research on online and offline adaptive treatment planning by analyzing treatment sessions retrospectively to understand how the dose would have changed with adaptive planning,” said Nienke Hoffmans-Holtzer (sitting behind the computer in the photograph above).

Joel Rumley, product manager and user experience designer of the Varian Particle Therapy Division, stated that the participants offered very positive feedback on the effectiveness and the quality of the implemented workflow.  Furthermore, the clinical team at HollandPTC has openly embraced the usability evaluation experience as a means not only to learn about our system but more importantly to impart their clinical experiences and needs to the development team, who are steadfast and diligently working on the in-room CT workflow on the ProBeam system to be released in late 2017.

©

Mevion and medPhoton Bring Advanced Cone Beam CT Imaging to Proton Therapy

 

May 4, 2017 — Mevion Medical Systems announced a strategic agreement with medPhoton GmbH to integrate ImagingRing, an innovative cone beam computed tomography (CBCT)system for volumetric image guidance, with the Mevion S250i with Hyperscan, Mevion’s pencil-beam scanning proton therapy system. The new CBCT offering will debut at the 36th annual meeting of the European Society for Radiotherapy & Oncology (ESTRO), May 5-9 in Vienna, Austria.

By adding fully integrated cone beam imaging to Mevion’s suite of in-room image guidance capabilities, Mevion and medPhoton provide simplicity of workflow and more precise and efficient treatment delivery.

CBCT imaging is an important capability in the treatment room to precisely position patients for pencil beam proton therapy. In-room CBCT, when integrated to Mevion’s Verity image-guided patient positioning system, will enable users to treat patients with the latest image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT)technology and deliver high-precision positioning and adaptive proton therapy in a simple workflow. Clinicians will be able to track anatomical changes throughout the course of treatment and adapt the treatment plan as needed to ensure accurate proton dose delivery.

ImagingRing will be fully integrated into optimized workflows with the Mevion S250 Series and Verity Patient Positioning System. Together with Mevion’s 6D robotic treatment couch, it enables detailed imaging of the tumor and organs at risk with the patient positioned at the treatment isocenter.

The Mevion S250i proton therapy system is not yet U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-cleared.

For more information: www.mevion.com, www.medphoton.at©

IBA and Philips step up collaboration in Brazilian proton therapy market

SAO PAULO, 14 June 2017 – Building on their collaborative achievements since 2014 to provide advanced diagnostic and therapeutic oncology solutions, IBA (Ion Beam Applications S.A.), the world’s leading provider of proton therapy solutions, and Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG AEX: PHIA), a leader in health technology, today announced that they are stepping up their combined efforts for proton therapy in Brazil.

Both companies agree to step up joint sales and marketing activities in Brazil, for the promotion of Philips's imaging and clinical informatics solutions in oncology, and IBA's proton therapy solutions. By merging their respective expertise in image guidance and therapy, Philips and IBA continue to co-innovate in diagnostic and therapeutic oncology solutions, with the ultimate objective of enabling more effective and personalized cancer care.

The Brazilian market for superior medical imaging solutions and advanced forms of radiotherapy treatment such as proton therapy is a key focus for both partners. The commercial collaboration between Philips and IBA has already led to the successful execution of proton therapy contracts in Europe, Asia and the Middle-East.

“There is a strong willingness to strengthen and accelerate the strategic partnership between our companies, and focus our efforts to rapidly expand markets such as Brazil,” said Mauro Ferreira, Vice President of Sales LATAM at IBA. “During the last three years our achievements have clearly demonstrated the benefit of the relationship between our two organizations; keeping us at the forefront of innovation in cancer treatment.”

“Our aim in oncology is to improve patient outcomes and enhance quality of life, combined with the best possible patient experience” said Renato Garcia Carvalho, Country Leader at Philips Brazil. “With our combined technologies and services for informed and confident decision making, imaging, precision planning and targeted patient-specific therapy; IBA and Philips enable many possibilities. We are delighted with the progress we have made in bringing advanced proton therapy to more people. We look forward to continuing our joint innovative efforts, to make a real difference in cancer care.”

IBA and Philips offer unique integrated solutions for proton therapy and molecular imaging centers. They are currently installing state-of-the-art proton therapy solutions at three compact proton therapy centers in the UK, one compact center in the Middle East, and one large proton therapy center in India. Depending on the proton therapy center, the installed solution can include IBA’s proton therapy systems, such as; the Proteus®ONE* and Proteus®PLUS, and Philips’ imaging and clinical informatics solutions, such as Philips’ Big Bore CT and PET CT systems and Philips’ Pinnacle3** Treatment Planning System.

;copy&;

IBA hosts groundbreaking ceremony for state-of-the-art production facility

LOUVAIN-LA-NEUVE, BELGIUM, 19 June 2017 – IBA (Ion Beam Applications S.A., EURONEXT), the world’s leading provider of proton therapy solutions for the treatment of cancer, today announces it is holding a groundbreaking ceremony for its new International Logistics and Manufacturing Headquarters (the “facility”) at the site in Louvain-La-Neuve, Belgium today. The previously announced EUR 16 million investment is part of IBA’s “scale up” program to increase production capacity to meet the growing demand for proton therapy solutions around the world.

Upon completion, the new building will include a state-of-the-art assembly line for the new superconducting synchrocyclotron, used for IBA’s single-room compact proton therapy system, Proteus®ONE*, with the capacity to produce 20 to 30 proton accelerators per year which is an increase from the current eight to ten accelerators per year. The Proteus®ONE* assembly line should be operational in the first quarter of 2018 and the rest of the center, including new offices and customer center will follow in the same year.

The new building will cover a total of 9,000 sq. meters and will include a dedicated visitor center and augmented reality product showcases. The high quality, environmentally friendly facility will combine user comfort, energy efficiency, responsible water management and biodiversity development. The zero-energy building will make use of innovative elements including heat recovery from the particle accelerators testing process, green roofs, passive type insulation and solar panels to reduce the impact on the environment.

Olivier Legrain, Chief Executive Officer of IBA, commented: “There is a growing demand for proton therapy solutions globally, driven by the lower cost of therapy, technology advances and greater clinical validation. IBA has a clear growth strategy to capitalize on these trends and our new International Logistics and Manufacturing Headquarters will ensure we have the capacity to meet this demand.”

About Proteus®ONE

Proteus®ONE is the compact intensity modulated proton therapy (IMPT) solution from IBA. It benefits from the latest technologies developed with renowned clinical institutions. Proteus®ONE is smaller, more affordable, easier to install and to operate. It is ultimately easier to finance, making this advanced radiation therapy modality available to more institutions and patients worldwide.

*Proteus®ONE is a brand name of Proteus 235

©

Advanced Oncotherapy reports progress in manufacture of LIGHT proton therapy system

12 June 2017 – Advanced Oncotherapy (AIM: AVO), the developer of next-generation proton therapy systems for cancer treatment, announces further notable progress in the manufacture of its first LIGHT system. 

Patient Positioning System

Multiple components of the treatment room have been manufactured, inspected and tested by the Company's partner P-Cure Ltd. ("P-Cure"), ahead of their integration to form a complete patient treatment system. 

The patient positioning subsystem, which includes the patient treatment chair and robotic arm which moves the chair and patient, is complete and has been designed to leverage LIGHT's next-generation features. As other subsystems are completed, such as imaging and treatment management software, they will be integrated to form the whole Patient Positioning System, which remains on track to be fully developed by the end of 2017.

Beam firing through RFQ

As indicated in the Investor presentation and update of 6 March 2017, the proton beam was fired through the Radio Frequency Quadrupole ("RFQ"), at its maximum expected energy, in February 2017. Subsequent work has focused on enhancing the proton source that feeds the RFQ; repeatability of beam firing, intensive usage to facilitate high patient throughput and maximising safety controls are all key elements of LIGHT.

Ionisation chamber

In addition, the Company announces it has received delivery of the LIGHT system's ionisation chamber, from its partner Pyramid Technical Consultants Inc., to its Geneva testing facility. The ionisation chamber is a critical element of the LIGHT system's overall safety system, monitoring beam position, spot size and dosage and is situated at the delivery end of the system after the main accelerating modules.

The novel design of the chamber is matched to the unique properties of LIGHT and performs a precise measurement of the position (in horizontal and vertical axes) of the proton beam, with respect to its desired location, and is a critical element of the LIGHT system's Patient Treatment System. It also accurately monitors the dose (number of protons) delivered to the target. The properties of the LIGHT ionisation chamber allow these measurements to be taken, on a pulse by pulse basis, ensuring accuracy and safety throughout treatment, to a level that cannot be matched by older proton therapy technologies.

Commenting, Nicolas Serandour, CEO of Advanced Oncotherapy, said: "As I outlined in my update to shareholders in March, the Company remains focused on delivering the technical development of our first LIGHT machine and its ultimate installation at Harley Street, and I am very pleased with the progress we are making. 

"We will continue to update the market with newsflow on the integration of the LIGHT system's components, with developments on the CCL units, addition of the SCDTLs to the RFQ and on the Patient Positioning System anticipated in the coming weeks and months."

©

Mevion installs first MEVION S250i with HYPERSCAN pencil beam scanning

LITTLETON, Mass., April 4, 2017 – Mevion Medical Systems announces the installation of the first MEVION S250i with HYPERSCAN, Mevion’s advanced proton therapy pencil beam scanning system, at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital. This breakthrough technology, will allow MedStar Georgetown to deliver a new standard of Intensity Modulated Proton Therapy (IMPT) combining the fastest energy modulation with the sharpest lateral penumbra improving the treatment options available to cancer patients. This is the first installation of HYPERSCAN with Adaptive Aperture, Mevion’s novel proton multi-leaf collimator. The installation at MedStar Georgetown will be followed by a MEVION S250i installation at Zuidoost Nederland Protonen Therapie Centrum, co-located at the Maastricht Clinic, in the Netherlands and at the Ackerman Cancer Center in Jacksonville, Florida, which will be the second unit installed at the private, physician run center.

“Mevion is proud to be working with MedStar Georgetown to achieve this milestone, and to be making proton therapy accessible to the Washington D.C. area. HYPERSCAN with Adaptive Aperture represents a real paradigm shift for the entire industry. This is the only proton system able to precisely shape each energy layer and deliver those layers at speeds up to 50 times faster than other systems. The results are highly conformal proton dose distributions that can be automatically adapted as treatment progresses.” said Joseph K. Jachinowski, president and CEO of Mevion Medical Systems.

The Adaptive Aperture is a proprietary low-profile micro-multi-leaf collimator system designed specifically for HYPERSCAN pencil beam scanning. It eliminates the need for manual apertures and adjustments because its unique layer-by-layer beam collimation achieves unprecedented one to three millimeter collimated effective spot sizes for all energies. HYPERSCAN with Adaptive Aperture is capable of scanning a typical lung tumor in less than two seconds – eliminating many of the challenges caused by patient motion that other pencil beam scanning systems encounter.

Proton therapy provides targeted radiation treatment for many types of cancer, significantly reducing the dose of radiation to healthy tissue by as much as a factor of three, while still maintaining high conformance to the treatment target. Mevion developed the world’s first compact proton therapy system to help increase access to this valuable therapy and currently has more compact systems under contract, installed and treating patients than any other proton therapy manufacturer.

About the MEVION S250 Series™

The MEVION S250 Series is elegantly designed to deliver high-powered, efficient proton therapy treatments. Built upon the world’s only gantry-mounted proton accelerator and benefitting from Mevion’s patented direct beam technology, the MEVION S250 Series delivers on the therapeutic promise of proton therapy while enhancing beam quality, stability and uptime. The result is a high-quality treatment with reduced system complexity, higher reliability and throughput, and lower capital and operating costs—making the MEVION S250 Series a compelling, financially viable solution for all cancer centers. The MEVION S250 Series includes:

MEVION S250 Proton Therapy System®, offering highly stable, next-generation volumetric delivery capabilities

MEVION S250i Proton Therapy System™ with HYPERSCAN™ and Adaptive Aperture™, overcoming pencil beam scanning uncertainties by delivering robust IMPT treatment at hyper-speed

MEVION S250mx™, making proton therapy fully scalable, with two, three and four room designs that are inherently redundant and support 100% facility uptime

The MEVION S250i Proton Therapy System with HYPERSCAN and Adaptive Aperture has not been cleared by the USFDA for clinical use.

©

IBA adds two treatment rooms to South China Guangdong collaboration

LOUVAIN-LA-NEUVE, Belgium, 1 July 2015 – IBA (Ion Beam Applications SA), the world's leading provider of proton therapy solutions for the treatment of cancer, today announces that it has signed an extension to the collaboration agreement with Guangdong Hengju Medical Technologies Co. Limited. This binding agreement for two additional gantry treatment rooms, equipped with the next generation Pencil Beam Scanning capability, is worth approximately €20m to IBA.

In December 2014, IBA signed its first collaboration agreement with Guangdong Hengju Medical Technologies Co. Limited to jointly install the first proton therapy system in South China. This agreement is worth approximately €30m to IBA. With a total of three rooms planned, the facility is expected to open in 2017.

Olivier Legrain, chief executive officer, IBA, commented: "This extension of our collaboration with Guangdong Hengju Medical Technologies Co. Limited confirms IBA's position as a trusted partner for the development and delivery of proton therapy treatment facilities around the world. We are delighted to have built upon our original contribution to this collaboration to jointly install the first proton therapy system in South China."

Mr Xiao Xue, chairman, Guangdong Hengjian Investment Holding Co Ltd, commented: "Guangdong Hengju Medical Technologies Co. Limited Proton Therapy facility enjoys full support from various Chinese governments, and is listed as a National Key Project. This second collaboration with IBA, the global leader in proton therapy, is very significant and is an important milestone for future long-term partnership between both companies."

Mr Wang Jian, executive director Guangdong Hengju Medical Technologies Co Ltd, added: "The signing of this second agreement will increase the rate of future developments and provide the chance to train our team and increase the level of medical expertise in Guangdong Province."

About Guangdong Heng Ju Medical Technologies Co Limited

Guangdong Hengjian Investment Holding Co. Ltd is the financing and investment platform of the Guangdong provincial government. Guangdong Hengju Medical Technologies Co Limited is the first company in China focusing on the development and expansion of proton therapy in China under the spirit of 'Government Supported, Corporatized Management and Market Oriented'.

©

Proton Partners International acquires site for UK's first proton therapy centre

CARDIFF, UK, 29 June 2015 - Proton Partners International Limited announced today it has completed the acquisition of the site where the first High Energy Proton Beam Therapy cancer treatment centre will be built in the UK.

The centre will be situated at Celtic Springs Business Park, Newport. Renovation of the site will begin next week and the centre is due to be operational next year.

Mike Moran, chief executive officer of Proton Partners International Ltd., said: "We are delighted to have completed the acquisition of the site and work will begin immediately. We are working very closely with the Welsh Government and the Wales Life Sciences Fund to create what will be a step change in cancer treatment in the UK."

The Newport centre is the first of three Proton Beam Therapy centres which will be built by Proton Partners International in the UK. The other sites will be in Northumberland and London with additional sites identified in Liverpool and Birmingham.

Proton Partners International Limited has appointed global partners to provide class-leading clinical equipment and innovative technology solutions for their UK centres. 

IBA (Ion Beam Applications), the world’s leading provider of proton therapy solutions for the treatment of cancer, has been selected to install its single-room proton therapy system, Proteus®ONE.

Philips has been appointed to deliver software and technology tools including Philips' Pinnacle Treatment Planning which delivers an intuitive planning environment that simplifies workflow. Philips will also provide big bore CT scanners at each centre and a PET CT in the Newport centre.

©

IBA to install three compact proton therapy centres in the UK

LOUVAIN-LA-NEUVE, BELGIUM, 25 June 2015 - IBA (Ion Beam Applications S.A., EURONEXT), the world’s leading provider of proton therapy solutions for the treatment of cancer, today announces it has signed three separate binding term sheets, containing significant and immediate down-payments, with Proton Partners International (PPI), to install three of its Proteus®ONE compact proton therapy solutions in private clinics in the United Kingdom.

Each term sheet covers delivery of the Proteus®ONE equipment, including next generation Pencil Beam Scanning (PBS) and Cone Beam CT (CBCT) capabilities, and a ten-year maintenance agreement. The typical end-user price for a Proteus®ONE system with such a maintenance contract is between EUR 35 and 40 million. These three centers will be the eighth, ninth and tenth installations of IBA’s compact single-room proton therapy solution and are expected to treat the first patients in 2017.

The proton therapy center in Newport will treat patients from Wales, the south-west of England and the Midlands, and the center in Newcastle will treat patients from the North of England. The location of the third center will be announced at a later date.

These three projects follow the framework agreement that IBA and Philips signed in September 2014 to advance the diagnosis and treatment of cancer and demonstrate the efficiency of the collaboration between the two organizations.

Olivier Legrain, Chief Executive Officer of IBA, commented: “We are delighted that IBA has been selected by Proton Partners International to build its three proton therapy centers, bringing access to the most advanced radiation therapy technology to cancer patients across the United Kingdom. PPI’s choice of IBA not only strengthens our world leading position in proton therapy, but also demonstrates the preference of IBA as the most experienced proton therapy provider in the market and the fastest from signing to treatment.”

Mike Moran, Chief Executive Officer of Proton Partners International Limited, added: "We are delighted to announce that we will be working with IBA, the world leader in proton therapy technology, who will equip our centres to the highest specifications. We are excited about the opportunity to deliver the first high energy Proton Beam Therapy Centres in the UK and we look forward to working with a range of stakeholders to help support the research effort in the wider use of proton beam therapy for the benefit of the patients from all over UK."

©

IBA reduces energy-related costs of proton therapy

LOUVAIN-LA-NEUVE, 21 May 2015 – IBA (Ion Beam Applications S.A., EURONEXT), the world’s leading provider of proton therapy solutions for the treatment of cancer announced today the release of an exclusive feature that reduces the power consumption of IBA proton therapy 230 MeV isochronous cyclotron (C230) by >30%. This unique feature helps reduce the overall cost of proton therapy, making it ever more accessible to patients worldwide.

First measurements at the Institut Curie’s Orsay Proton Therapy Center (France) show that the power consumption of the cyclotron has been lowered by an average of 30% over a month’s period.

“This is significant” said Frédéric Genin, Executive Vice President, Product Development Management at IBA “this feature is a great accomplishment. It dramatically reduces the operation costs of proton therapy centers hence making the treatment more affordable and the technology more accessible. It is only a first step as additional energy saving features are being tested to further reduce energy-related costs. ”

Weisheng Duan, Product Manager at IBA added: “This new feature can be retrofitted to all existing systems.. It addresses a major area of concern for our customers as the prices of energy are generally going up. It will help them to significantly reduce their energy bill while making a positive impact on the environment. .

The IBA Isochronous Cyclotron (C230) enables physicians to deliver the highest quality clinical proton beam that is both highly precise and symmetrical with a very stable energy of 230MeV and a high yield. It benefits from the experience gained over 25 years at 16 operating centers. This new generation has been designed with clinical operations in mind. It offers automatic operations, remote monitoring and predicative maintenance programs. IBA provides its customers the highest uptime in the radiation therapy market to ensure maximum system availability for cancer patient treatment.

©