Elekta has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Belgium-based firm Ion Beam Applications (IBA) to develop new software.

The firms plan to co-invest the development of a new functionality in Elekta’s Monaco treatment planning system and MOSAIQ oncology information system, while the contract will also enable sales and marketing of products.

Intended to optimise the experience for radiotherapy departments and enhance patient care, the functionality will be designed for proton therapy treatment.

Elekta president and CEO Richard Hausmann said: “We believe that proton therapy is an important tool in radiation treatment for specific indications and we are very pleased to partner with IBA, the global leader in proton therapy, to further integrate their products into our software solutions.”

Under the MoU, the firms will also provide a combined portfolio of radiation therapy solutions and co-market each other’s products in line to deliver integrated and adaptive radiation therapy.

"The combination of these technologies will help advance the care and outcomes of patients undergoing SRT and may make this important treatment option available to more patients."

Elekta has also collaborated to integrate its Versa HD linear accelerator with German firm Brainlab’s ExacTrac patient positioning and monitoring technology.

Intended for high-definition stereotactic radiosurgery (HDRS) treatment, the combined technologies are expected to offer versatile patient positioning and monitoring with simplified workflows.

The integration will also allow coplanar and non-coplanar treatment delivery, irrespective of tumour complexity or anatomy.

Elekta chief strategy officer Maurits Wolleswinkel said: “The combination of these technologies will help advance the care and outcomes of patients undergoing SRT and may make this important treatment option available to more patients.”

The integrated technologies have been adopted by approximately 70 cancer centres across the world.