Periodic Reporting for period 3 - HIL PT System (A revolutionary, cost effective, ultra-compact proton therapy system for cancer treatment)
Berichtszeitraum: 2020-10-01 bis 2021-09-30
A proton beam is a form of focused radiation used to treat solid tumors. It is superior to traditional radiation therapy (X-Ray, or Photons) in that it reduces damage to surrounding healthy tissue by 2X-6X, thereby reducing toxicities and improving patient survival and quality of life. Proton therapy is used routinely for treating many types of cancer; it is FDA-cleared (510k) and reimbursed by both public and private insurers – around the world.
Proton beam therapy can help over one million cancer patients every year globally – yet only 20,000 receive it; that’s less than 5%. Protons are arguably the most advanced form of radiation therapy – yet there are only 69 proton-therapy centers worldwide; compare with over 10,000 ( traditional X-Ray/Gamma) radiation therapy machines.
The main barrier to widespread adoption is the large size (football stadium) and high cost (€150-250M) of building and operating a center. Single-room solutions have been introduced to the market in recent years – yet, at €30-40M per room, they remain prohibitively expensive for the vast majority of hospitals and clinics. The key to making protons available to every patient is a scalable, add-on, single-room solution, at less than half the current price tag; all while maintaining very high beam quality and providing cutting-edge clinical capabilities such as PBS, IMPT, and more. HIL’s technological breakthrough promises to bring about this revolution.
HIL is applying a novel approach to particle acceleration – based on Nobel-Prize-winning high-intensity lasers and nanotech targets. The technology was conceived and incubated at the high-energy physics lab of the Hebrew university in Jerusalem, and further developed by HIL’s outstanding team of world-renowned scientists. Additionally, HIL is developing ultra-compact beam delivery solutions – namely beamlines and rotating gantries – taking advantage of the unique properties of laser-accelerated proton beams. Thus we deliver further reductions in size, cost and complexity of a complete system. Reduced shielding requirements also contribute to substantial reduction in facility footprint and building costs (which today account for over 25% of total facility price tag). These technological breakthroughs aim to enable – for the first time – cost-effective, expandable, add-on single-room solutions, while providing state-of-the-art clinical capabilities such as 360-degree rotation, pencil-beam scanning, etc.
Within the project, HIL aims to further advance the development of its innovative Proton Therapy solutions, towards commercialization.
Proton beam therapy can help over one million cancer patients every year globally – yet only 20,000 receive it; that’s less than 5%. Protons are arguably the most advanced form of radiation therapy – yet there are only 69 proton-therapy centers worldwide; compare with over 10,000 ( traditional X-Ray/Gamma) radiation therapy machines.
The main barrier to widespread adoption is the large size (football stadium) and high cost (€150-250M) of building and operating a center. Single-room solutions have been introduced to the market in recent years – yet, at €30-40M per room, they remain prohibitively expensive for the vast majority of hospitals and clinics. The key to making protons available to every patient is a scalable, add-on, single-room solution, at less than half the current price tag; all while maintaining very high beam quality and providing cutting-edge clinical capabilities such as PBS, IMPT, and more. HIL’s technological breakthrough promises to bring about this revolution.
HIL is applying a novel approach to particle acceleration – based on Nobel-Prize-winning high-intensity lasers and nanotech targets. The technology was conceived and incubated at the high-energy physics lab of the Hebrew university in Jerusalem, and further developed by HIL’s outstanding team of world-renowned scientists. Additionally, HIL is developing ultra-compact beam delivery solutions – namely beamlines and rotating gantries – taking advantage of the unique properties of laser-accelerated proton beams. Thus we deliver further reductions in size, cost and complexity of a complete system. Reduced shielding requirements also contribute to substantial reduction in facility footprint and building costs (which today account for over 25% of total facility price tag). These technological breakthroughs aim to enable – for the first time – cost-effective, expandable, add-on single-room solutions, while providing state-of-the-art clinical capabilities such as 360-degree rotation, pencil-beam scanning, etc.
Within the project, HIL aims to further advance the development of its innovative Proton Therapy solutions, towards commercialization.
Within the period, we have been working towards the scale-up of the HIL PT System accelerator by carrying out simulations and testing to determine the performance of the system. We have also finalised the design of the system along with our partners. Other activities undertaken include communication and dissemination activities including attending key industry events and scouting potential customers.
The expected outcome of the project is to successfully upgrade the system and demonstrate the clinical performance of the laser proton accelerator. The results will be used to apply for the CE Mark certification and enable commercialisation in Europe. The proton therapy system will enable widespread adoption of more advanced therapies at a more affordable price. The HIL PT System development will boost economic growth and create jobs within HIL and in the wider European economy.