November 24 2006
Nucletron BV and RaySearch Laboratories AB have decided to join their forces in order to develop leading-edge software for Proton planning. On November 16th 2006 both companies signed a long-term development and license agreement that will result in a new treatment planning and optimization module with protons, which will be fully integrated in Oncentra MasterPlan. Nucletron’s research and physics experience in protons dates back from Helax-TMS, one of the first commercially available treatment planning systems that supported proton planning. This longstanding proton experience combined with RaySearch’s extensive expertise in optimization routines and other advanced software, will lead to the introduction of a proven, unique and vendor independent MasterPlan proton solution. “One of the challenges in modern radiotherapy departments is to decide on what is the best for the individual patient. MasterPlan is designed to make comparative planning simple and easy for daily clinical practice. It enables our customers to keep on improving patient care by choosing the best treatment. By offering proton planning, next to photon, electron and brachy planning in MasterPlan the treatment potential of each modality can be captured to the same level of refinement.” says Paul van den Biggelaar, Business Director Oncentra. Distributed planning will play a major role in proton treatment delivery. The unparalleled software design of MasterPlan allows for multi-site collaborations. Reviewing and comparing treatment plans together with colleagues from another clinic can be just as easy as working with a colleague next door. This makes MasterPlan the ideal software package to solve all distribution problems. In many radiotherapy clinics around the globe, often hundreds of miles apart, many patients are being treated based on treatment plans generated with Oncentra MasterPlan. The new proton module as will be built by RaySearch will seamlessly fit into the distributed planning philosophy of MasterPlan. ”Nucletron is contributing the background knowledge within the physics of protons, which is extremely valuable. The demand for new treatment planning products for protons is increasing rapidly. Among other indications, this was confirmed at the PTCOG (Particle Therapy Co-Operative Group) proton conference in Houston, Texas, in the US in October in which RaySearch and Nucletron jointly participated and demonstrated a prototype. Several new clinics for proton therapy are being planned where RaySearch and Nucletron will participate in the tender process.” says Johan Löf, President and CEO of RaySearch. Oncentra MasterPlan is a platform with software solutions, designed for easy and intuitive management of the information and data intensive radiotherapy processes required for multimodality planning and comparison. Oncentra® is a registered trademark of Nucletron BV. About RaySearch RaySearch develops and markets software for radiation therapy of cancer. The products are specially designed to optimize radiation therapy with the aim of adapting the radiation dose to the contour of the tumor, which then allows high doses to be delivered to the tumor while minimizing the dose to surrounding healthy tissue. RaySearch, a spin-off from Karolinska Institutet, was formed in 2000. The company has since sold its product RayOptimizer to more than 1,000 hospitals internationally through a licensing agreement with Philips, thus enabling more than 100,000 patients to receive improved radiation therapy. RaySearch signed a licensing agreement with Nucletron at the beginning of 2004. The latter agreement made RaySearch's products available to a large number of additional clinics worldwide and, consequently, increased the number of potential customers sharply. Delivery to clinics of Oncentra Optimizer, the first product based on the partnership with Nucletron, began in April 2005. In February 2006 an agreement was signed with Scanditronix-Wellhöfer regarding development of products for improved quality assurance for IMRT. RaySearch was listed on the Stockholm Stock Exchange’s O-List in November 2003. As of October 2006, the shares are listed on the Nordic List in the Small Cap segment of the Health Care sector. RaySearch is based in Stockholm and currently has 28 employees. For more information on RaySearch, please visit www.raysearchlabs.com About Nucletron Nucletron is a knowledge-based leader in Radiation Oncology, working with the clinical team to realize innovative solutions that improve patient care. Nucletron Vision: We strive to offer the best possible choice of treatment modality for the patient through our integrated products, software and services. We develop cancer treatment with optimal outcomes and minimal side-effects and we promote clinical acceptance of our solutions. The company has over 20 offices worldwide, including its corporate headquarters in Veenendaal, the Netherlands. For more information on Nucletron, please visit this website. Nucletron B.V. is a subsidiary of Delft Instruments. Delft Instruments is the holding company of an international group of companies that hold a leading position in their respective markets with high quality, high-technology products and services. The Delft Instruments’ companies develop, produce, sell and service advanced (precision) hardware and software for medical and industrial customers. Medical applications include radiation treatment for cancer and ultrasound diagnostics. Industrial applications include measurement and control instrumentation for the storage and transport of oil and gas products. Delft Instruments employs some 1,100 people and reported turnover of EUR 243 million in 2005. For more information on Delft Instruments, please visit the website at http://www.delftinstruments.com/.
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