MagnetTx secures global licensing rights for Aurora-RT linac MR
June 23, 2016
by Christina Hwang, Contributing Reporter
MagnetTx Oncology Solutions has recently announced obtaining worldwide exclusive rights to develop and commercialize the Aurora-RT linac MR system, which was developed by the Linac MR Research Group at Alberta Health Services’ Cross Cancer Institute and the University of Alberta.
Aurora-RT is currently still a work-in-progress and will feature a .5T MR system. It will also have a patented design said to eliminate the interference between the linac and the MR, where the linear accelerator will be parallel to the magnetic field of the MR. The radiation beam is directed through the center of the MR coils and the entire system will be able to rotate 360 degrees.
According to the announcement the Aurora RT will have the greatest impact on tumor sites where current image guidance is lacking, movement of tumors is greatest, contrast is lowest and survival is poorest.
“We are very excited by the potential impact to our ability to detect and treat soft tissue cancers more quickly and accurately,” said Dr. Matthew Parliament, senior medical director for Alberta Health Services’ CancerControl Alberta, in a statement. “Innovations like this help us provide a patient-focused, quality health system.”
As part of the agreement, MagnetTx will be responsible for the research, development, manufacturing and commercialization of the system and will have exclusive marketing rights to the system. The company will also be responsible for royalty payments on the sales of any of the products developed.
MagnetTx is not the first company to explore MR-guided linear accelerators. In April, ViewRay’s MRIdian, became operational at the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center in Florida. The system — which integrates MR technology, radiation delivery, and software to locate, target and track the shape of the tumors as radiation is delivered — received FDA approval in 2012 and CE mark in 2014.
Two weeks ago, Elekta and Philips announced the fourth installation of their own MR-guided linac at the UK's Institute of Cancer Research and The Royal Marsden. Elekta has established a Global Research Consortium consisting of seven cancer centers dedicated to determining the value of MR-guided linacs, and hopes to install its system at each participating facility by the end of the year.
The first functioning prototype of the Aurora-RT linac MR system was built in 2008 by Dr. Gino Fallone, professor and director of the Division of Medical Physics at the University of Alberta, and CEO of MagnetTx.
“This agreement marks a major milestone following a decade of research and development by dedicated expert researchers,” said Fallone, in a statement. “MagnetTx is committed to finalizing the development and secure investors to ensure this breakthrough technology is commercially available for cancer patients at a reasonable cost for health care systems.”
Aurora-RT is currently still a work-in-progress and will feature a .5T MR system. It will also have a patented design said to eliminate the interference between the linac and the MR, where the linear accelerator will be parallel to the magnetic field of the MR. The radiation beam is directed through the center of the MR coils and the entire system will be able to rotate 360 degrees.
According to the announcement the Aurora RT will have the greatest impact on tumor sites where current image guidance is lacking, movement of tumors is greatest, contrast is lowest and survival is poorest.
“We are very excited by the potential impact to our ability to detect and treat soft tissue cancers more quickly and accurately,” said Dr. Matthew Parliament, senior medical director for Alberta Health Services’ CancerControl Alberta, in a statement. “Innovations like this help us provide a patient-focused, quality health system.”
As part of the agreement, MagnetTx will be responsible for the research, development, manufacturing and commercialization of the system and will have exclusive marketing rights to the system. The company will also be responsible for royalty payments on the sales of any of the products developed.
MagnetTx is not the first company to explore MR-guided linear accelerators. In April, ViewRay’s MRIdian, became operational at the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center in Florida. The system — which integrates MR technology, radiation delivery, and software to locate, target and track the shape of the tumors as radiation is delivered — received FDA approval in 2012 and CE mark in 2014.
Two weeks ago, Elekta and Philips announced the fourth installation of their own MR-guided linac at the UK's Institute of Cancer Research and The Royal Marsden. Elekta has established a Global Research Consortium consisting of seven cancer centers dedicated to determining the value of MR-guided linacs, and hopes to install its system at each participating facility by the end of the year.
The first functioning prototype of the Aurora-RT linac MR system was built in 2008 by Dr. Gino Fallone, professor and director of the Division of Medical Physics at the University of Alberta, and CEO of MagnetTx.
“This agreement marks a major milestone following a decade of research and development by dedicated expert researchers,” said Fallone, in a statement. “MagnetTx is committed to finalizing the development and secure investors to ensure this breakthrough technology is commercially available for cancer patients at a reasonable cost for health care systems.”