New radiation therapy system will now be implemented clinically in Europe , ushering in a transformation in precision and personalized cancer treatment
STOCKHOLM, June 18, 2018 /CNW/ – Elekta (EKTA-B.ST) earlier today announced (14:15 CET) that its Elekta Unity magnetic resonance radiation therapy (MR/RT) system has received CE mark, clearing the technology for commercial sales and clinical use in Europe.
“Receiving CE mark for Unity is a big achievement in revolutionizing the field of radiation therapy and a real watershed moment for treating cancer,” said Richard Hausmann, President and CEO, Elekta. “The change that MR/RT will bring in cancer therapy is paramount in advancing patient treatment. I’m thankful to the MR-linac Consortium members, Philips (our MR technology partner) and our dedicated employees for helping us reach this important day.”
Unity has the potential to transform how clinicians treat cancer by enabling the delivery of the radiation dose while simultaneously visualizing the tumor and surrounding healthy tissue with high-quality MR images. Unity also integrates advanced tools that allow clinicians to adapt the patient’s treatment to this current anatomical information.
“Unity is a tremendous innovation in patient care, one that enables a scan-plan-treat approach to developing tailored regimens that should yield substantive clinical benefits,” said Bas Raaymakers, PhD, Professor of experimental clinical physics in the Department of Radiotherapy at University Medical Center (UMC) Utrecht. UMC Utrecht is a founding member of the Elekta MR-linac Consortium and the inventor of the high-field MR-linac concept. Raaymakers adds: “I am thrilled that our vision of personalized radiation therapy is becoming a clinical reality.”
About Elekta Unity
Unity employs a premium high-field diagnostic-quality (1.5 Tesla) MRI that provides unparalleled image clarity, giving clinicians greater flexibility in their approach to radiation therapy and ensuring that each patient receives optimal care based on individual tumor characteristics. Unity integrates MR imaging, linear accelerator technologies and advanced treatment planning into a single platform, allowing clinicians to see and track difficult-to-visualize soft tissue anatomies while radiation dose is being delivered. For the first time, this new technology addresses an unmet need in cancer therapy, enabling clinicians to confidently see and track the target during treatment and respond accordingly, personalizing therapy for each patient every time they are treated.
Elekta Unity has CE mark but is not available for commercial distribution or sale in the U.S.
About Elekta
Elekta is proud to be the leading innovator of equipment and software used to improve, prolong and save the lives of people with cancer and brain disorders. Our advanced, effective solutions are created in collaboration with customers, and more than 6,000 hospitals worldwide rely on Elekta technology. Our treatment solutions and oncology informatics portfolios are designed to enhance the delivery of radiation therapy, radiosurgery and brachytherapy, and to drive cost efficiency in clinical workflows. Elekta employs 3,600 people around the world. Headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden, Elekta is listed on NASDAQ Stockholm. http://www.elekta.com.
Original Source: https://www.pharmiweb.com/pressreleases/pressrel.asp?ROW_ID=281217
Original Date: June 18 2018
Published By: PR Newswire