MRI-Guided Radiotherapy - The past or the future?
Billy Williams
Group Business Manager | Metric Bio | Radiology & HealthTech AI | Exec Search
In January 2014 the world's first MRI guided radiotherapy system was used to treat patients at the Siteman Cancer Center in St Louis.
Developed by ViewRay, Inc. , founded only 10 years prior, the 'MRIdian' system, offered clinicians the ability to better visualize and track a tumour as radiation therapy was being delivered.
A great technological step in cancer treatment.
Fast forward almost another 10 years, and Viewray have filed for bankruptcy, delisting from Nasdaq.
So what happened, was this a unique event?
Viewray aren't the only company in the MRI RT space.
In 2018, after some initial challenges, Swedish cancer care company 医科达 received FDA clearance for their MR-Linac product, 'Unity'.
Promising to push the boundaries of radiation therapy, utilizing their world renowned Linac with Philips MRI, it was MRI guided radiotherapy on a scale not attempted previously.
Nearly 5 years on, Elekta has had success bringing to market Unity, but perhaps not to the level some were expecting?
Installs for the system continue with particular success in APAC, where RadOnc giant Varian doesn't have as much of a stronghold as in North America.
However, for the time and investment Elekta have put into Unity for the past decade, maybe it hasn't pushed the boundaries as much as planned.
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The company or the tech?
The mixed fortunes of the above companies haven't halted ambitions for the MRI radiotherapy space.
Launched at ASTRO 2021 and FDA cleared as of May 2022, the MagnetTx Oncology Solutions Ltd 'Aurora-RT' is the new kid on the block.
Founded by Gino Fallone and headed up by Mike Cogswell , MagnetTx promise 'the next generation of LINAC-MR'.
With a larger bore size, higher dose rate and an AI prediction model, the Aurora-RT offers a new perspective on this space.
Expect to see much more of MagnetTx Oncology Solutions Ltd and their system in 2023/24, as the product comes to market.
It will be fascinating to see how this niche market with such widespread patient impact continues to develop in the coming years, and who and what will be at the centre of it in that time.
What are your thoughts on MR-Linac, the future or the past?
CCO, Chief Commercial Officer HSP int., MBA, Sen. Executive., Managing Director, VP, extensive Start-Up experience in Medical Equipment (Capital & Disposable) across Europe, Middle East, Japan, South East Asia, China
1 年Hi Billy, as stated by Kevin, a paradigm shift is never easy even though the clinical data can demonstrate the effectiveness/benefit of MR-guided RT compared to the current standard of care. One critical and often underestimated key aspect for a wider adoption (outside of research settings) is that the new technology does have potential for adequate reimbursement = positive business case vs. introducing more cost to the provider (even if better for the patient). In that context it's probably fair to say that most reimbursement policies are not necessarily innovation friendly (applies of almost any innovation in the medical field) and do take quite some efforts and time to get properly implemented with dedicated codes and associated payments. In the US, CMS initiated the Radiation Oncology Model (RO), which aims to improve the quality of care for cancer patients going from a fraction-based to an episode-based payment model. Please check also the following link: https://innovation.cms.gov/innovation-models/radiation-oncology-model. Best regards, Hartmut
Distinguished Scientist at Elekta
1 年Hi Billy I am not so down beat about the progress of Elekta. Of course it would be nicer if the uptake was faster but we are trying to change the RT paradigm and that is not easy. We believe that there is a significant role for a more expensive system that can deliver a better treatment for certain indications and patients. Watch this space. https://www.dhirubhai.net/posts/kevin-brown-38119720_mrlinac-activity-7092416195135459328-yVfJ?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop