Louvain-la-Neuve - 6 September 2016 - IBA (Ion Beam Applications S.A.), the world leader in proton therapy solutions for cancer treatment, is celebrating its 30th anniversary. To mark the occasion, over 600 guests are expected tonight in Louvain-la-Neuve. Key company representatives, namely Yves Jongen - founder and Chief Research Officer, Olivier Legrain - CEO, and Pierre Mottet - Chairman of the Board, will use this festive and music-filled backdrop to revisit the reasons for the Company’s success and talk about the opportunities that lie ahead.

An internal event will also take place to thank employees for their work, commitment and professionalism.

30 years marked by ambition, passion and success...
IBA’s story begins in the early 80s when Yves Jongen sets his sights on making cyclotrons available for medical purposes. Under the aegis of UCL he assembled a team that shared his passion for this ambitious project. Pierre Mottet was among them.

The whole team shares a vision and values: the passion, ambition and desire to preserve IBA’s Belgian roots, of which they are proud, both in terms of its shareholders and the creation of highquality jobs.

In its first year, IBA sold an initial four cyclotrons and experienced explosive growth, resulting in the number of employees tripling. That was the beginning of the success story.

Today, with approximately 50% of the proton therapy market, IBA is still the world leader in solutions for proton therapy, the most advanced form of radiotherapy for treating cancer currently available. Specifically, the technology makes it possible to target a tumour with unrivalled precision without damaging the surrounding healthy tissue. IBA also develops dosimetry solutions in radiotherapy and radiology, as well as particle accelerators for medical and industrial applications.

...and a bright future ahead

IBA’s success continues. The business has experienced accelerated growth and sales in proton therapy over the past 24 months, evidence of the Belgian Company’s dynamism and of the quality of its products and services, bringing worldwide recognition and still more opportunities for growth.

- The clinical benefits of proton therapy are increasingly acknowledged. While proton therapy today represents less than 1% of all radiotherapy treatments, studies estimate that over 17% of patients receiving radiotherapy would benefit from being treated with proton therapy. A large number of clinical studies are currently ongoing and their results could open a new era for proton therapy treatment.

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