IBA Signs Contract to Install First Proton Therapy Center in North China
Contract worth more than EUR 80 million to IBA
Louvain-La-Neuve, Belgium, January 28, 2015 - IBA (Ion Beam Applications S.A., EURONEXT), the world's leading provider of proton therapy solutions for the treatment of cancer, today announces that it has received a significant up-front payment for a new contract with the Zhuozhou Jian Kang Qiao Investment Company Ltd, to establish a proton therapy center in Zhuozhou City, Hebei Province, China. The center will be the first Proton Therapy Center in North China, situated 30 minutes from Beijing and it is expected to treat up to 2000 patients per year. The contract was signed at the end of 2014 and is worth more than EUR 80 million to IBA including the service contract. This does not impact the Company's guidance for 2014 given at the time of the third quarter results.
IBA will equip the new center with its Proteus®PLUS multi-room system including five treatment rooms, four isocentric-gantry treatment rooms and a fixed-beam treatment room. IBA will also provide all dosimetry equipment to ensure the safest and fastest commissioning of the center. The contract also includes an operations and maintenance agreement and it is anticipated that patients will be able to access proton therapy treatment at the center at the end of 2016.
Olivier Legrain, Chief Executive Officer of IBA, commented: "We are very proud to have been selected to install the first proton therapy center in North China. IBA is pleased to be playing an important role to bring such innovative cancer treatment modalities to patients in China. Through this new collaboration, IBA is further strengthening its world leading position in proton therapy and continues to be at the forefront of delivering the latest innovative cancer therapy to the Asia region."
"This Zhuozhou Proton Therapy Center will be the biggest Proton Therapy Center in the world and will be equipped with advanced therapeutic and imaging capabilities such as Pencil Beam Scanning and Cone Beam CT," commented Serge Lamisse, Executive VP of IBA. "This is the start of a long term partnership with Zhuozhou Jian Kang Qiao and IBA is committed to making this center a world class facility benefitting Chinese patients."
"This new proton therapy facility will give patients access to the most advanced radiation therapy technology available," said Mr Han Lian He, Managing Director of Zhuozhou Jian Kang Qiao Investment Company Ltd. "Moreover, the center will become a Proton Therapy center-of-excellence in China, allowing us to further enhance our ability to provide superior cancer care and reaching the aim of developing a first-class, modern, research-based hospital".
About Proton Therapy
Proton Therapy is considered the most advanced and targeted cancer radiotherapy treatment due to its superior dose distribution and fewer side effects. Protons deposit the majority of their effective energy within a precisely controlled range, directly within the tumor, sparing healthy surrounding tissue. Higher doses can be delivered to the tumor without increasing the risk of side effects and long-term complications, thereby improving patient outcomes and quality of life. Today, more than half of all proton therapy clinical facilities worldwide are equipped with IBA systems. This includes 18 proton therapy centers currently in operation and 14 additional centers under development.
While proton therapy today represents less than 1% of radiotherapy treatments, studies estimate that more than 17% of patients treated by radiotherapy would benefit from being treated by this technique.
About IBA
IBA (Ion Beam Applications S.A.) is a cancer diagnostics and treatment equipment company, and the worldwide technology leader in the field of proton therapy, the most advanced form of radiotherapy available today.
The Company's primary expertise lies in the development of next generation proton therapy technologies that provide oncology care providers with premium quality services and equipment. IBA's proton therapy solutions are scalable and adaptable, offering universal full scale proton therapy centers as well as next generation compact, single room systems. IBA also focuses on the development and supply of dosimetry solutions for Quality Assurance of medical equipment and increased patient safety as well as particle accelerators for medical and industrial applications.
Headquartered in Belgium and employing more than 1,000 people worldwide, IBA currently has installed systems across Europe and the US and is expanding into emerging markets. The Company is focused on building sustainable global growth for investors, providing solutions in the fight against cancer.
IBA is listed on the pan-European stock exchange EURONEXT. (IBA: Reuters IBAB.BR and Bloomberg IBAB.BB) and more information can be found at: www.iba-worldwide.com
For further information please contact:
IBA
Jean-Marc Bothy
Chief Financial Officer
+32 10 475 890
Investorrelations@iba-group.com
Thomas Ralet
Vice-President Corporate Communication
+32 10 475 890
thomas.ralet@iba-group.com
For media and investor enquiries:
Consilium Strategic Communications
Amber Bielecka, Mary-Jane Elliott, Matthew Neal, Jessica Hodgson, Ivar Milligan
+44 (0)20 3709 5700
IBA@consilium-comms.com
