11th Meeting of the Elekta MR-linac Consortium Convenes in Manchester, UK, With Impressive Momentum on Breakthrough Technology

STOCKHOLM, April 5, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Elekta (EKTA-B.ST) today provided an update on the 11th meeting of the Elekta MR-linac Consortium, which was held March 22 – 24 at The Christie NHS Foundation Trust in Manchester, UK. The four-day Consortium meeting was attended by 180 world-class researchers and clinicians from seventeen institutions, including the founding centers and 10 new ones. The Elekta MR-linac Consortium is a collaborative industrial-academic partnership that Elekta founded with seven centers and our technology partner, Philips in 2012 to provide an evidence-based introduction of the MR-linac to the medical community, and to support the advancement of the technology.

Elekta MR-linac is the only system that integrates an advanced linear accelerator with crystal-clear, high-field (1.5 Tesla) magnetic resonance imaging without compromising either system. It is the first system to achieve the technological feat of simultaneous radiation delivery and fast acquisition of high-quality, high-field MR images, providing the ability to "see what you treat" at the time of treatment and adapt treatments based on what is being seen. Elekta MR-linac enables truly personalized radiation therapy regimens that attack the tumor while sparing healthy tissue and has extraordinary potential for ushering in a new paradigm of cancer care.

"The enthusiasm of these world-class cancer institutions to the clinical implementation of the MR-linac reflects the belief that this breakthrough technology will address real unmet needs," said Joel Goldwein, Elekta's Sr. Vice President, Medical Affairs. "The results presented in the clinical sessions demonstrated both the MR-linac's current capabilities and its future potential. Substantial progress has been made developing the processes and protocols that will support Elekta MR-linac, not only as a technological tour-de-force but as the foundation for enabling magnetic resonance radiation therapy (MR/RT) as a transformative approach to cancer care."

With a focus on initiating new treatment paradigms rather than just engineering a new radiation delivery system, the Consortium is coordinating efforts to develop consistent parameters for the use of Elekta MR-linac for specific indications and anatomical regions. This year's Consortium meeting included anatomic district clinical sessions designed to harmonize the contouring of tumors, normal structures and dose constraints. For example, members of the breast and lung site groups worked together to ensure that the heart is consistently protected when the MR-linac is used for either of these indications.

Another highlight at this year's meeting was the sharing of results from multiple volunteer imaging studies and other pre-clinical activities presented by tumor site groups at plenary sessions. In addition, a total of 54 posters were presented. Taken together, these accomplishments demonstrated the preparedness and increasing momentum towards full clinical implementation. Elekta currently expects to CE mark its MR-linac in the first half of 2018.

"The nearly seamless integration of new participants with founding Consortium members is extremely energizing and stems from a shared commitment to realizing the full clinical potential of Elekta MR-linac in diverse cancer indications," said Christopher Schultz, MD, FACR, FASTRO Medical College of Wisconsin Professor and Chairman of the Department of Radiation Oncology, at the Froedtert & MCW Cancer Network and Chair of the EMRLC. "Not only is the MR-linac entirely novel from a technology perspective, its development and Consortium-based roll out establishes a new standard for academic industrial collaboration that fully capitalizes on physician, physicist, and therapist engagement. Elekta has dedicated an unparalleled level of resources and support to making MR/RT a reality and is raising the bar for innovation in radiation therapy."

The institutions that participated are: (Founding members) University Medical Center Utrecht, the Netherlands; The Netherlands Cancer Institute-Antoni van Leeuwenhoek Hospital, the Netherlands; The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, USA; the Institute of Cancer Research, working with its clinical partner The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, UK; Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin Clinical Cancer Center at Froedtert Hospital, USA; The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, UK; Odette Cancer Centre, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Canada; (New members) University Health Network – Princess Margaret Cancer Center, Canada; Akademiska Sjukhuset, Sweden; Odense University Hospital, Denmark; Universitätsklinikum Tübingen, Germany; University of Iowa, USA; William Beaumont Hospital, USA; Ospedale Sacro Cuore Don Calabria, Italy; Hong Kong Sanatorium and Hospital, China; Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, USA; and Townsville Cancer Centre, Australia.

Additional information about Elekta MR-linac can be found at elekta.com/mrrt.

Elekta MR-linac is a work in progress and not available for sale or distribution.

For further information, please contact:

Oskar Bosson
Global EVP Corporate Communications and Investor Relations
Tel: +46-70-410-7180
e-mail: Oskar.Bosson@elekta.com 

Time zone: CET: Central European Time

Michelle Joiner
Director
Global Media Relations
Tel: +1-770-670-2447
e-mail: michelle.joiner@elekta.com

Time zone: ET: Eastern Time

About Elekta

Elekta is proud to be the leading innovator of equipment and software used to improve, prolong and save the lives of people with cancer and brain disorders. Our advanced, effective solutions are created in collaboration with customers, and more than 6,000 hospitals worldwide rely on Elekta technology. Our treatment solutions and oncology informatics portfolios are designed to enhance the delivery of radiation therapy, radiosurgery and brachytherapy, and to drive cost efficiency in clinical workflows. Elekta employs 3,600 people around the world. Headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden, Elekta is listed on NASDAQ Stockholm. www.elekta.com

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