Philips signs an exclusive alliance with IBA to cure cancer in India

Royal Philips, a leader in image-guided therapies and Ion Beam Applications (IBA), the globally renowned provider of protontherapy solutions to treat cancer, has announced the signingof an exclusive agreement to enhance access to proton therapy in India.

Proton therapy is appropriate for the treatment of eye and brain cancers, tumors close to the brain stem and spinal cord as well as prostate, liver, lung cancers. The therapy is also well-suited for the treatment of pediatric cancers.

The alliance combines Philips’ expertise in clinical informaticsand innovative imaging techniques for therapy planning and guidance and IBA’s strengths in proton therapy.

Leveraging high quality imaging and proton therapy offers the potential to increase confidence in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer, reduce short- and long-term side-effects and potentially enhance the quality of life of the patient before, during and after treatment.

Advanced MRI, PET and CT imaging technologies will help physicians target better proton beam delivery to destroy cancer cells whilst avoiding healthy tissue.

“We are very pleased to announce that Philips India and IBA are introducing the best-in-class proton beam therapy for cancer patients in India. We are confident that the future launch of the first proton therapy center in Apollo Hospitals, Chennai, will mark the beginning of a new phase in cancer treatment in the country and also the subcontinent,” said Sameer Garde, President, Philips Healthcare.

Significantly, the agreement build between the two, was started in 2013, to build the Apollo Proton Therapy Center, the firstproton therapy center in India.

The exclusive Philips-IBA agreement for India follows the framework agreement that Philips and IBA signed in September 2014. The framework agreement comprises of research and development, marketing and sales of imaging and therapy solutions in oncology.

Meanwhile, Olivier Legrain, Chief Executive Officer, IBA, also expressed his gratitude towards the deal and said, “We are certain that this initiative will be a significant step in improving the quality of cancer treatment in the country. With this collaboration, IBA further strengthens its world leading position in proton therapy and stays at the forefront of delivering the latest in innovative cancer therapy to the Asia region. Globally, IBA has now sold 33 proton therapy centers, more than all other providers combined.”

Expectedly, the collaboration also enables both the organisations to mutually leverage technologies and solutions: IBA benefits from Philips diagnostic imaging products offered to oncology care centers, while Philips will leverage IBA proton therapy solutions within its offering for customers in select markets around the world. As part of the framework agreement, Philipsand IBA have already signed multiple country-specific collaboration agreements, each optimized for the local market needs.

Proton therapy is considered to be one of the most advanced treatments available in the fight against cancer. It is an important addition to cancer treatment in India given that the incidence of cancer is 70-90 per 100,000 people with children comprising nearly 5 per cent of these patients.

Proton therapy is particularly appropriate for the treatment of eye and brain cancers, tumors close to the brain stem and spinal cord as well as prostate, liver, lung cancers. Proton therapy is also extremely well-suited for the treatment of pediatric cancers.