Louvain Le Neuve, Belgium, May 2 2017 – IBA, the world's leading provider of proton therapy solutions for the treatment of cancer, announces that building works have begun on the Proton Therapy Center ParTICLe – Belgium's first center for proton therapy. ParTICLe, short for Particle Therapy Interuniversity Center Leuven, is a clinical and scientific collaboration between five university hospitals.

Currently, Belgian patients eligible for proton therapy have to travel abroad for treatment; usually to Germany, Switzerland or France. It is expected that Belgian patients will now be able to receive proton therapy in their home country by mid-2019.

Olivier Legrain, Chief Operational Officer at IBA commented: "This first proton therapy center in Belgium is a significant milestone for the country and our partners in this project. We look forward to establishing a leading research collaboration with ParTICLe and its specialists, as well as providing high quality training programs for physicians and medical staff."
Prof. Dr. Karin Haustermans, Head of the Department of Radiation Oncology in UZ Leuven: "Despite the enormous technical advances in radiation for cancer treatment, we still see too many patients who relapse or have permanent side effects. Sometimes when healthy radiation-sensitive tissues are too close to the tumor; it is almost impossible to irradiate them without compromising the quality of life of the patient. Proton therapy provides more protection to healthy tissue, and reduces the risk of secondary cancer caused by the radiation itself."

Prof. Dr. Marc Decramer, Managing Director of UZ Leuven added: "We see it as our responsibility to take the lead in this project. In 1928, we built the first Cancer Institute in Leuven with the support of the Belgian population. Today, we go one step further; we invest across language barriers and collaborate with the other university hospitals and regional hospitals on high-tech cancer therapy. Collaboration is an evolution that you see everywhere in the clinical and scientific world. Sharing financial input and scientific knowledge is the best way to shift boundaries."


About Proteus®ONE
Proteus®ONE is the compact intensity modulated proton therapy (IMPT) solution from IBA. It benefits from the latest technologies developed by renowned clinical institutions. Proteus®ONE is smaller, more affordable, and easier to install and operate. It is ultimately easier to finance, making this advanced radiation therapy modality available to more institutions and patients worldwide.

Proteus®ONE allows you to think big but scale smart.


About IBA
IBA (Ion Beam Applications S.A.) is a global medical technology company focused on bringing integrated and innovative solutions for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. The company is the worldwide technology leader in the field of proton therapy, considered to be the most advanced form of radiation therapy available today. IBA's proton therapy solutions are flexible and adaptable, allowing customers to choose from universal full-scale proton therapy centers as well as compact, single room solutions. In addition, IBA also has a radiation dosimetry business and develops particle accelerators for the medical world and industry. Headquartered in Belgium and employing about 1,500 people worldwide, IBA has installed systems across the world.

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