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.”

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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." 

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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

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