STOCKHOLM, April 5, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Elekta (EKTA-B.ST)
today provided an update on the 11th meeting of the Elekta MR-linac Consortium, which was held March
22 – 24 at The Christie NHS Foundation Trust in Manchester, UK. The four-day Consortium
meeting was attended by 180 world-class researchers and clinicians from seventeen institutions, including the founding centers
and 10 new ones. The Elekta MR-linac Consortium is a collaborative industrial-academic partnership that Elekta founded with seven
centers and our technology partner, Philips in 2012 to provide an evidence-based introduction of the MR-linac to the medical
community, and to support the advancement of the technology.
Elekta MR-linac is the only system that integrates an advanced linear accelerator with crystal-clear, high-field
(1.5 Tesla) magnetic resonance imaging without compromising either system. It is the first system to achieve the
technological feat of simultaneous radiation delivery and fast acquisition of high-quality, high-field MR images, providing the
ability to "see what you treat" at the time of treatment and adapt treatments based on what is being seen. Elekta MR-linac
enables truly personalized radiation therapy regimens that attack the tumor while sparing healthy tissue and has
extraordinary potential for ushering in a new paradigm of cancer care.
"The enthusiasm of these world-class cancer institutions to the clinical implementation of the MR-linac reflects the belief
that this breakthrough technology will address real unmet needs," said Joel Goldwein, Elekta's Sr.
Vice President, Medical Affairs. "The results presented in the clinical sessions demonstrated both the MR-linac's current
capabilities and its future potential. Substantial progress has been made developing the processes and protocols that will
support Elekta MR-linac, not only as a technological tour-de-force but as the foundation for enabling magnetic resonance
radiation therapy (MR/RT) as a transformative approach to cancer care."
With a focus on initiating new treatment paradigms rather than just engineering a new radiation delivery system, the
Consortium is coordinating efforts to develop consistent parameters for the use of Elekta MR-linac for specific indications and
anatomical regions. This year's Consortium meeting included anatomic district clinical sessions designed to harmonize the
contouring of tumors, normal structures and dose constraints. For example, members of the breast and lung site groups worked
together to ensure that the heart is consistently protected when the MR-linac is used for either of these indications.
Another highlight at this year's meeting was the sharing of results from multiple volunteer imaging studies and other
pre-clinical activities presented by tumor site groups at plenary sessions. In addition, a total of 54 posters were presented.
Taken together, these accomplishments demonstrated the preparedness and increasing momentum towards full clinical implementation.
Elekta currently expects to CE mark its MR-linac in the first half of 2018.
"The nearly seamless integration of new participants with founding Consortium members is extremely energizing and stems from a
shared commitment to realizing the full clinical potential of Elekta MR-linac in diverse cancer indications," said Christopher Schultz, MD, FACR, FASTRO Medical College of Wisconsin Professor and
Chairman of the Department of Radiation Oncology, at the Froedtert & MCW Cancer Network and Chair of the EMRLC. "Not only is
the MR-linac entirely novel from a technology perspective, its development and Consortium-based roll out establishes a new
standard for academic industrial collaboration that fully capitalizes on physician, physicist, and therapist engagement. Elekta
has dedicated an unparalleled level of resources and support to making MR/RT a reality and is raising the bar for innovation in
radiation therapy."
The institutions that participated are: (Founding members) University Medical Center Utrecht, the
Netherlands; The Netherlands Cancer Institute-Antoni van Leeuwenhoek Hospital, the
Netherlands; The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, USA; the Institute of Cancer Research, working with its clinical partner The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation
Trust, UK; Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin Clinical Cancer Center at Froedtert
Hospital, USA; The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, UK; Odette Cancer Centre, Sunnybrook Health
Sciences Centre, Canada; (New members) University Health Network – Princess Margaret Cancer
Center, Canada; Akademiska Sjukhuset, Sweden; Odense University
Hospital, Denmark; Universitätsklinikum Tübingen, Germany;
University of Iowa, USA; William Beaumont Hospital, USA; Ospedale
Sacro Cuore Don Calabria, Italy; Hong Kong Sanatorium and Hospital, China; Memorial Sloan
Kettering Cancer Center, USA; and Townsville Cancer Centre, Australia.
Additional information about Elekta MR-linac can be found at elekta.com/mrrt.
Elekta MR-linac is a work in progress and not available for sale or distribution.
For further information, please contact:
Oskar Bosson
Global EVP Corporate Communications and Investor Relations
Tel: +46-70-410-7180
e-mail: Oskar.Bosson@elekta.com
Time zone: CET: Central European Time
Michelle Joiner
Director
Global Media Relations
Tel: +1-770-670-2447
e-mail: michelle.joiner@elekta.com
Time zone: ET: Eastern Time
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. www.elekta.com
This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com
http://news.cision.com/elekta/r/11th-meeting-of-the-elekta-mr-linac-consortium-convenes-in-manchester--uk--with-impressive-momentum-,c2487924
The following files are available for download: