Proton therapy, oncology care

ANDOVER, Mass.—IBA (Ion Beam Applications S.A.), a provider of proton therapy and radiopharmacy solutions, and Dutch company Royal Philips, a diversified health and well-being company, signed a global collaboration to provide advanced diagnostic and therapeutic solutions for the treatment of cancer. No finite timing has been set, and both IBA and Philips see this as an enduring collaboration.

IBA’s proton therapy solutions are scalable and adaptable, offering universal full-scale proton therapy centers as well as next-generation compact, single-room solutions. IBA also focuses on the development and supply of dosimetry solutions for quality assurance of medical equipment and increased patient safety as well as particle accelerators for medical and industrial applications. Royal Philips offers products in the areas of cardiac care, acute care and home healthcare, energy-efficient lighting solutions and new lighting applications, as well as grooming and oral healthcare products.

According to Olivier Legrain, CEO of IBA, the two companies have been partners for some time, working together to improve the patient experience of proton therapy. As he explained, “This new collaboration was a natural next step for both IBA and Philips, allowing the two companies to exploit their leading positions in proton therapy and image guidance systems to provide advanced diagnostic and therapeutic solutions for the treatment of cancer. The collaboration aims to transform cancer care and will provide clinicians with more efficient, effective and personalized treatment for their patients, while also dramatically reducing the time to start of treatment and the cost of that treatment.”

The collaboration covers sales, marketing and research and development of imaging and therapy solutions in oncology. By merging their respective expertise, IBA and Philips plan to innovate with an integrated vision for more efficient, personalized cancer care. The companies believe that leveraging high-quality imaging and proton therapy offers the potential to increase confidence in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer, reduce short- and long-term side-effects and potentially enhance the quality of life of the patient before, during and after treatment, while reducing the cost of treatment for the healthcare system.

Additionally, the collaboration will enable both organizations to mutually leverage technologies and solutions: IBA will benefit from Philips’ diagnostic imaging products offered to oncology care centers, while Philips will leverage IBA proton therapy solutions within its offering for customers in select markets around the world. The commercial collaboration also includes an integrated offering for Molecular Imaging Centers, combining IBA’s expertise in PET radioisotope production centers with Philips’ imaging and diagnostics expertise.

Legrain said that IBA is the worldwide technology leader in the field of proton therapy, the most advanced form of radiotherapy available today. He explained that the collaboration covers the mutual marketing and representation of products for imaging and treatment in the oncology business; investigation of opportunities for joint development of new products for image-guided radiotherapy and treatment modalities; and a solution for Molecular Imaging Centers, combining expertise in PET radioisotope production and diagnostics. IBA will represent Philips diagnostic imaging products such as CT, PET/CT or MRI to oncology clinics. Philips Healthcare will similarly represent IBA equipment within its offerings to its healthcare customers.

Gene Saragnese, executive vice president and CEO of imaging systems at Royal Philips, added, “Proton therapy is one of the most exciting technological advancements in the oncology field. We look forward to collaborating with IBA to enhance access to best-in-class technology for both Proton Centers and Molecular Imaging Centers, as well as to accelerate the development of our informed therapy guidance vision in ways that can change the future of care, and improve the quality of life for patients.”

Legrain concludes, “This is an exciting and important step for IBA. A closer collaboration with a company of Philips’ caliber and global reach, where we are able to combine both companies’ expertise and excellence in oncology care, will accelerate innovation and provide more efficient and effective solutions in molecular imaging and treatment solutions. This collaboration is an important step toward adaptive treatment of cancer and a personalized treatment approach to enable the best possible result for cancer patients across the globe.”