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Oxford University and ProNova partner to bring first proton research center to the United KingdomKNOXVILLE, Tenn. --(Business Wire)-- ProNova Solutions, a leading manufacturer of next generation proton therapy equipment, announced today that the University of Oxford, in collaboration with Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust, will partner with ProNova Solutions to incorporate ProNova's SC360 proton therapy system in Oxford University's Precision Cancer Medicine Institute (PCMI). The PCMI will be a clinical research facility for the development, testing and implementation of personalized, minimally invasive cancer treatments combined with molecularly targeted agents for diagnosis, imaging and therapy. Proton Therapy will play a key role in the focused research directed to improving curative treatments for patients with early-stage cancer where minimizing side effects has substantial personal, societal and economic benefits. "Proton therapy is an important tool in our quest to improving curative treatments and minimizing side effects," said Gillies McKenna, MD, Ph.D., Director of the Cancer Research UK and Medical Research Council Oxford Institute for Radiation Oncology and Head of the Department of Oncology at the University of Oxford. "ProNova has demonstrated innovative approaches to next generation proton therapy and we look forward to partnering with them to make PCMI successful." ProNova will equip the new proton center with three treatment roms including two superconducting gantry treatment rooms and one fixed beam treatment room. Each treatment room will include Fast Scanning IMPT technology with integrated 3D imaging. This unique solution merges leading edge pencil beam delivery with innovative imaging capability to aid physicians and therapists in minimizing collateral damage to healthy tissue and maximizing dose to the tumor. "The partnership with Oxford University will be vital to continued progress in radiation oncology and we are thrilled to become part of it," said Dr. Terry Douglass, Chairman and CEO of ProNova Solutions. "Research at PCMI will continue to demonstrate the benefits of proton therapy and help to redefine the future of cancer treatment." About Oxford University's Medical Sciences Division Oxford University's Medical Sciences Division is one of the largest biomedical research centres in Europe, with over 2,500 people involved in research and more than 2,800 students. The University is rated the best in the world for medicine, and it is home to the UK's top-ranked medical school. From the genetic and molecular basis of disease to the latest advances in neuroscience, Oxford is at the forefront of medical research. It has one of the largest clinical trial portfolios in the UK and great expertise in taking discoveries from the lab into the clinic. Partnerships with the local NHS Trusts enable patients to benefit from close links between medical research and healthcare delivery. A great strength of Oxford medicine is its long-standing network of clinical research units in Asia and Africa, enabling world-leading research on the most pressing global health challenges such as malaria, TB, HIV/AIDS and flu. Oxford is also renowned for its large-scale studies which examine the role of factors such as smoking, alcohol and diet on cancer, heart disease and other conditions. About ProNova Solutions, LLC ProNova is committed to making proton therapy accessible to a greater number of patients and physicians worldwide. Founded by the leaders of CTI Molecular Imaging, ProNova's team brought positron emission tomography (PET) technology out of the laboratory and made it a clinical reality for millions of cancer patients. Our team's early work revolutionized cancer diagnostics and helped to develop an industry with over 350 cyclotrons, more than 3,000 PET & PET/CT systems and 160 PET radiopharmaceutical distribution centers installed around the world today. The same team will redefine cancer treatment once again with the introduction of the SC360 proton therapy system. |
