STOCKHOLM, March 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- With the number of new
cancer cases globally expected to rise by about 70 percent over the next two decades1-2, access to radiotherapy – a key treatment
modality for up to 60 percent of cancer patients – is more critical than ever. Since the manufacture of its first linear
accelerator (linac) six decades ago, Elekta (EKTA-B.ST) has been committed to providing radiotherapy systems to every corner of
the world. Hallym University Kangnam Sacred Heart Hospital (Seoul, Republic of Korea) will
receive Elekta's 5,000th linac assembled at its Crawley, England facility. A linac is a
machine for delivering external beam radiation to cancer in any part or organ of the body. Using special beam-shaping technology
to conform to the tumor's shape, the linac delivers high-energy X-rays or electrons to the target – destroying cancer cells while
sparing surrounding healthy tissues.
"Every linear accelerator we build and deliver means that thousands of people, somewhere – maybe even at a place that didn't
have a single radiotherapy system before – will receive a treatment that can prolong or even save their lives," said Steve Wort, Elekta's Chief Operating Officer. "That makes this 5,000th milestone more than just a corporate
achievement – it reinforces our mission to continue increasing access to this vital healthcare technology for patients all over
the world."
Hallym University Kangam's new radiotherapy system is Elekta's most sophisticated digital linac, Versa HD™ equipped with the
Agility™ multi-leaf collimator (MLC) and integrated imaging technology for highly targeted, ultra-conformal treatment of cancers
all throughout the body.
"We congratulate Elekta on its significant linac milestone and are honored to be a part of it," says Kyoung Ju Kim, MD, director of Radiation Oncology at Hallym University Kangnam Sacred Heart Hospital.
"Throughout the last 13 years of our center's service to patients, our mission has been to provide the highest level of
healthcare. The Versa HD system's advanced cancer treatment capabilities are in perfect harmony with that mission."
A tradition of precision radiation medicine
Versa HD represents the culmination of six decades of Elekta linac innovations, allowing the delivery of high definition
dynamic radiosurgery (HDRS) which allows stereotactic treatments (SRS & SBRT) throughout the body to be delivered in standard
treatment slots. This history is punctuated by numerous radiotherapy industry firsts, including:
- The first commercially-produced linac
- The first fully digital linac
- The first linac with integrated cone beam CT technology, Elekta Synergy®, the system that ushered in the era of
image-guided radiotherapy
Elekta's Crawley plant also is the birthplace of the industry's fastest MLC (Agility) and the
world's first high field MR-linac, Elekta Unity. Unity integrates an advanced linac with a 1.5T magnetic resonance system,
enabling doctors for the first time to "see what you treat" during the delivery of radiation beams and to adapt the treatment in
real time.
Elekta recently consolidated much of its research and development resources in the new 45,700 square meter (150,000 sq. ft.)
Cornerstone facility on Elekta's Crawley campus. Cornerstone was designed to serve as an
international radiotherapy hub and a magnet for oncology innovations for the coming decades. It is home to 750 Elekta employees,
comprising engineers, scientists, clinicians and customer-facing professionals.
"The Cornerstone facility attracts the finest clinical and scientific minds in radiotherapy to collaborate with us on new
concepts in oncology," says Elekta President & CEO, Richard
Hausmann. "In addition to being a prolific manufacturer of this life-changing technology, we are a leading innovator,
pushing the boundaries of precision radiation medicine. We're confident this will result in a continuous stream of technological
breakthroughs that will benefit individuals with cancer."
1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK343621/
2. https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/understanding/statistics
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
Raven Canzeri,
Global Public Relations Manager
Tel: +1-770-670-2524,
e-mail: Raven.Canzeri@elekta.com
Time zone: ET: Eastern Time
About Elekta For almost five decades, Elekta has been a leader in precision radiation medicine. Our nearly 4,000 employees
worldwide are committed to ensuring everyone in the world with cancer has access to – and benefits from – more precise,
personalized radiotherapy treatments. Headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden, Elekta is listed on
NASDAQ Stockholm Exchange. Visit elekta.com or follow @Elekta on Twitter.
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SOURCE Elekta