The first intelligent adaptive integrated radiotherapy platform, Elekta further strengthens its localized layout in China | Frontline

In the current medical market, radiotherapy is transforming from a medical concept into an effective means to precisely target tumor tissues. Relevant data indicates that nearly 70% of cancer patients require radiotherapy as a targeted treatment or adjuvant therapy. The radical cure rate of radiotherapy for tumors can reach more than 40%, making it one of the internationally recognized mainstream treatment options.

Recently, at the 7th China International Import Expo (hereinafter referred to as the "CIIE"), the global precision radiotherapy enterprise "Elekta" debuted three innovative radiotherapy equipment and solutions, including the Elekta Evo Intelligent Adaptive Integrated Radiotherapy Platform.

In simple terms, adaptive radiotherapy is a new radiotherapy technology derived from image-guided radiotherapy. It is equivalent to turning the entire radiotherapy process, from positioning, plan design, plan experimentation to verification, into a dynamic closed-loop system that can self-correspond and correct. Its aim is to improve the accuracy and precision of treatment implementation, to achieve high-dose irradiation of the tumor target area while minimizing the possibility of high-dose irradiation to the surrounding normal tissues, thereby increasing the local tumor control rate while reducing the occurrence of radioactive complications. In recent years, the concept of adaptive radiotherapy is gradually being accepted and popularized by domestic medical institutions.

It is understood that the Elekta Evo, which made its debut in the Asian region this time, is helping clinicians flexibly deal with various different indications by "providing unlimited clinical freedom through a one-stop comprehensive solution", thereby providing personalized treatment for patients.

Through high-definition AI-enhanced imaging technology, Elekta Evo can provide high-resolution real images, helping clinicians gain a deep understanding of the lesion and fully meet the daily clinical treatment and special needs; in addition, this platform can achieve full-function online and offline adaptability and flexible decision-making, making clinical treatment more high-quality and efficient.

In addition, at this CIIE, the new radiotherapy products exhibited by Elekta also include the Elekta ONE Intelligent Radiotherapy Platform and the Elekta Unity 3.0 Next-Generation High-Field Strength Magnetic Resonance Radiotherapy System. Among them, the former is a software solution and is "the latest achievement of Elekta in the field of oncology software". It achieves unity in the user interface design and provides a streamlined, intelligent, and data-driven workflow. This product is now installed on Elekta Evo.

And Elekta Unity 3.0 has achieved a further upgrade on the first-generation Elekta Unity system by adding three new technical functions: high-field magnetic resonance-guided adaptive radiotherapy (MRgRT), biological-guided adaptive radiotherapy (BgRT), and comprehensive motion management solution (CMM):

• First, high-field magnetic resonance-guided adaptive radiotherapy (MRgRT) achieves ultra-fast and ultra-clear imaging guidance during treatment by introducing advanced magnetic resonance imaging technologies such as on-board 3D vaneXD and compressed sensing;
• The concept of biological-guided adaptive radiotherapy (BgRT) is to use on-board magnetic resonance functional imaging to capture the biological changes of the tumor during treatment at any time, and to guide and intervene in the adjustment of the treatment plan earlier to improve the treatment effect;
• And the comprehensive motion management solution (CMM) "tracks" the tumor through magnetic resonance imaging and uses AI to automatically predict the tumor's motion trajectory to correct the time error.

"In the past several CIIEs, many new products launched by Elekta have quickly achieved commercialization in the Chinese market. For example, after the first-generation Elekta Unity system was exhibited at the 2018 CIIE, it successively carried out clinical experiment cooperation with 5 clinical research centers and was successfully approved in 2020. Currently, the number of patients treated has exceeded 4,500. After the release of these three new products, we will also gradually promote their promotion and implementation in the domestic market," Elekta told 36Kr.

This year, with the launch of the State Council's "Action Plan to Promote Large-scale Equipment Renewal and Consumer Goods Trade-in", starting from the second half of the year, the medical equipment renewal plans in various regions have been implemented one after another, becoming an issue that has attracted much attention from domestic and foreign medical device enterprises. The relevant person in charge of Elekta said that they have "felt the growth of market demand, and some hospitals in some cities have formulated detailed equipment renewal plans, including the introduction of new technologies and high-end equipment in addition to the replacement of existing equipment".

Under this background, Elekta's actions to "increase its investment" in the Chinese market are also progressing rapidly. In addition to product introduction, more industry collaborations and talent cultivation plans are also being advanced. For example, Elekta has successively established joint ventures with China National Pharmaceutical Foreign Trade Corporation under Sinopharm Group and Beijing Ansheng Xiangyuan Technology Development Co., Ltd., an enterprise in the field of medical informatization, to promote the popularization of radiotherapy in domestic hospitals.

In addition, in terms of talent cultivation, tens of thousands of trainees have participated in training courses such as the Elekta Asia-Pacific Training Innovation Center and the Clinical Education Series Training Courses of the Radiotherapy Research Institute; this year, the company has also held offline "Radiotherapy Quality Control Training Course" and other project courses.