Buenos Aires, Argentina, June 26, 2018 – IBA (Ion Beam Applications S.A.), the world’s leading provider of proton therapy solutions for the treatment of cancer, announces today that it has signed a new collaborative service agreement with INVAP which will serve and ensure the long-term performance of the National Atomic Energy Commission’s (Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica - CNEA) future proton therapy center to be installed in Buenos Aires. The signature was made in Buenos Aires at a signing ceremony organized during the Belgian Economic Mission to Argentina in presence of HRH Princess Astrid.
This new contract covers IBA’s & INVAP’s joint operation and maintenance of the Argentine Proteus®PLUS* proton therapy system and is based on the in-depth training of a team of INVAP & CNEA’s engineers and technicians who will receive support from IBA specialists in preventive and corrective maintenance, on site and remotely.
In September 2015, IBA signed its first contract with INVAP to supply and install the first proton therapy system in Latin America near the Instituto de Oncología Angel H. Roffo, on the agronomy campus of the University of Buenos Aires (UBA). End of December 2017, IBA and INVAP signed a new contract for the supply of an additional gantry treatment room including a unique eye treatment modality. The proton center will now include two gantry treatment rooms with next generation Pencil Beam Scanning capability and integrated Cone Beam CT as well as a dedicated research room.
Sabine de Voghel, Corporate Advisor of IBA, commented: “We are delighted to strengthen our presence in Argentina and expand our collaboration with INVAP/CNEA so that our expertise in operating and maintaining proton therapy centers will benefit the first proton therapy center in Latin America and make it a reference center in the region. Besides this first proton therapy project, IBA has one system in operation and four others projects under construction/installation (three with INVAP/CNEA) for the production of radiopharmaceuticals for the diagnosis of severe diseases.”
Vincente Campenni, General Manager and CEO of INVAP, commented: "Proton therapy is used today to treat a wide range of cancers and it can be used where treatment options were previously limited. Proton therapy has the potential to improve treatment results and decrease the risk of secondary effects or long-term complications, leading to improved patients’ quality of life. We are therefore very happy that this collaboration between CNEA, UBA, INVAP and IBA will benefit more cancer patients in Argentina and Latin America.”
Notes to Editors
About Proton Therapy
Proton therapy is currently considered to be the most advanced form of radiation treatment possible in the fight against cancer thanks to the uniform dose deposition and the reduction of the doses to the tissue adjacent to the tumor. Protons deposit the majority of their energy within a controlled zone while limiting the impact on the healthy tissue that surrounds the tumor, meaning larger doses can be deposited in the tumor. This has the potential to improve the treatment results and decrease the risk of secondary effects or long-term complications, leading to a potential better patients’ quality of life. Unfortunately, not enough patients can benefit from proton therapy. Less than 1% of all patients who are undergoing radiation therapy currently have access to it. Nowadays proton therapy is used to treat many forms of cancer. It is particularly appropriate in situations where treatment options are limited and conventional radiation therapy using a photon beam presents unacceptable risks to patients. These situations include and are not limited to: eye and brain cancers, head and neck cancers, prostate, liver, lung, breast, and pediatric cancers, as well as other tumors in close proximity to one or more critical structures and organs.
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.
IBA is listed on the pan-European stock exchange NYSE EURONEXT (IBA: Reuters IBAB.BR and Bloomberg IBAB.BB).
More information can be found at: www.iba-worldwide.com
*Proteus®PLUS is a brand name of Proteus®235. Proteus®235 marketing authorization application is currently under review by ANMAT (Administración Nacional de Medicamentos, Alimentos y Tecnología Médica).
About INVAP
INVAP is an Argentinian company devoted to the design and construction of complex technological systems, with more than forty years of history in the domestic market and more than thirty in the international scene. Its mission is to develop state-of-the-art technology in different fields of the nuclear, space, defense, communication, energy, security, and nuclear medicine industries. Thanks to its experience in conceiving, implementing and managing multidisciplinary projects, INVAP is able to provide products and services complying with its customers’ requirements and to go through all the stages that a project involves, from the technical advice prior to the construction agreement to the turnkey delivery of plants.
About Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica (CNEA)
The National Atomic Energy Commission was created in 1950 with the mission of advising national authorities in the definition of nuclear policy and carry out research and technological developments that contribute to improving the quality of life of the country and the society as a whole, always in the framework of the peaceful uses of nuclear energy and applications.
For further information, please contact:
IBA
Sabine de Voghel (participant to the Belgian Mission in Argentina, June 24-27)
Corporate Advisor
sabine.devoghel@iba-group.com
Thomas Ralet
Vice-President Corporate Communication
+32 10 475 890
communication@iba-group.com