First Patient Treated at Proton Therapy Center in Essen
Essen, May 31st, 2013 - IBA (Ion Beam Applications S.A., EURONEXT), the world's leading provider of proton therapy solutions for the treatment of cancer, announces that, in the context of the significant progress towards a final commercial settlement, Westdeutsches Protonentherapiezentrum Essen GmbH (WPE) has announced today they have treated their first patient at the Proton Therapy Center installed by IBA (link to WPE PR).
The state-of-the-art IBA-installed proton beam system at the WPE center has four treatment rooms, including three gantries (isocentric rotational frames) and one fixed-beam room which offers the most advanced options for patient positioning and irradiation technologies including the latest advancements in IBA's Pencil Beam Scanning (PBS) technology.
Olivier Legrain, CEO of IBA, commented: "We are pleased to be making further significant progress in reaching a final settlement with WPE and delighted that the cancer patients in Germany can now benefit from the advantages of the most advanced form of proton therapy."
IBA is committed to making proton therapy, the most accurate cancer treatment, available worldwide. IBA is the only supplier to have multiple centers treating cancer patients with Pencil Beam Scanning (PBS), the most precise form of proton therapy. PBS enables Intensity Modulated Proton Therapy (IMPT), allowing clinicians to precisely target a cancerous tumor by controlling both the intensity and the spatial distribution of the dose to the millimeter.
Proton therapy is increasingly considered the most advanced and targeted cancer 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. As documented in recent studies of children receiving proton therapy, 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.
About IBA
IBA (Ion Beam Applications S.A.), is a cancer diagnostics and treatment company and the worldwide technology leader in the field of proton therapy. The Company's expertise lies in the development of next generation proton therapy technologies and radiopharmaceuticals that provide oncology care providers with premium quality services and equipment, including IBA's leading fully integrated IntegraLab® radiopharmacy system, and Dosimetry advanced solutions for Quality Assurance of medical equipment and increased patient safety.
Headquartered in Belgium and employing more than 1,200 people worldwide, IBA currently has installed systems across Europe and the US and is expanding into emerging markets. The Company is focused on building sustainable global growth for investors, providing solutions in the fight against cancer.
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
For more information, please contact
IBA
Jean-Marc Bothy
Chief Financial Officer
Tel: +32 10 47 58 90
Thomas Ralet
Vice-President Corporate Communication
+32 10 475 890
communication@iba-group.com
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M:Communications
Mary-Jane Elliott, Amber Bielecka, Claire Dickinson
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