Partnership Will Advance Research of ConformalFLASH Therapy

IBA and the University of Pennsylvania (Penn) have signed an agreement to advance research in ConformalFLASH, a novel method combining ultra-high dose rate FLASH radiotherapy and the unique Bragg Peak properties of protons. ConformalFLASH is a registered brand of IBA’s Proton FLASH irradiation solution currently under research and development phase. The multi-year research agreement will support development, testing and validation of ConformalFLASH at the Roberts Proton Therapy Center.
The agreement is another successful milestone in the long-term collaboration between Penn and IBA, the world leader in particle accelerator technology. FLASH Therapy has the potential to deliver a paradigm shift in radiation therapy and cancer treatment, as demonstrated by a growing body of preclinical evidence, including Diffenderfer et al. (2020).
ConformalFLASH is a unique technology that brings together FLASH irradiation, which offers high doses of radiotherapy with high precision, with the Proton Bragg Peak, to optimize and accelerate the radiotherapy process. The two organizations will use this latest initiative, which builds on a long-standing collaboration, to develop a science-based approach to bringing ConformalFLASH to patients in the clinic.

“This agreement is yet another example of the strength of the IBA community and the benefits that partnerships between the company and its clients have, with a joint goal to make proton therapy better. IBA is fully committed to developing the future of proton therapy for as many patients as possible, by building on technologies such as ConformalFLASH,” said Olivier Legrain, Chief Executive Officer of IBA.
“Our team is constantly striving to provide the latest and most innovative tools and resources, and we hope through this research to learn more about how this technology may help provide treatment more quickly and effectively,” said James M. Metz, MD, Henry K. Pancoast Professor of Radiation Oncology and Chair of the Department of Radiation Oncology at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. 
Penn and IBA announced this partnership during a conference at ASTRO on Sunday 24th October 2021.