B dot Medical has struck a deal to install its first ultra-compact system in Japan’s Edogawa Hospital, which will be the first proton therapy facility established in Tokyo.

B dot Medical’s system is more compact than conventional ones, making it more feasible to install in hospitals with limited space for such technologies and those that have not been able to afford them. This has especially been an issue for providers in urban settings where land is scarce, limiting the number of patients who have been able to access the treatment.

"We are very pleased that once our hospital is able to offer proton therapy, we will be able to treat patients who have not previously been able to receive proton therapy in Tokyo. We will continue to provide medical care in pursuit of the best possible outcome for all patients,” said Dr. Shojiro Kato, director of Edogawa Hospital, in a statement.

A Japanese startup that originated at the country’s National Institute of Radiological Sciences (NIRS), B dot Medical uses a technology that bends the proton beam to an arbitrary angle in contrast to conventional system structures, making the system as compact and affordable as radiation therapy systems, it says.

The company recently confirmed that it was able to perform high-speed scanning irradiation with the solution. It did this by developing a scanning magnet that reduces the distance from the irradiation system to the irradiation position, to about one-third that of a conventional magnet.

B dot Medical is currently working to obtain PMDA (Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency) approval in Japan for its system.

“We hope that the installation of this system will expand the treatment options for many cancer patients. We will do our utmost to obtain approval for the system, install it, start treatment and provide support afterward,” said Takuji Furukawa, chief executive officer of B dot Medical.