Advanced Oncotherapy (AIM: AVO), the developer of next-generation proton therapy systems for cancer treatment, has told DirectorsTalk that the high power testing of two Coupled Cavity Linac modules at the Company’s facility in Geneva has been successfully completed.
In August the Company announced that the two CCL modules were ready to be tested at high power and marked the first time two CCL modules were tested together. The modules have now been successfully tested at a full power of 7.5MW and full duty cycle at 200Hz. The finished LIGHT system will incorporate 15 CCL modules in total and combined in a series these will accelerate protons to the high energies required to treat radiosensitive tumours.
In addition, tuning has been completed on two further CCL modules at the VDL ETG Projects (“VDL”) headquarters and these are ready to be delivered to the Geneva facility at the end of this month. VDL has in-depth experience and a solid track record in building accelerating modules and is Advanced Oncotherapy’s key supply partner for the CCL modules.
The CCL modules or “higher speed accelerators” are an essential part of the LIGHT system. They consist of a series of cells which accelerate the protons from energies of 37.5 Mega-electron Volts (MeV) to energies that can be applied usefully to a clinical setting.
Commenting, Sanjeev Pandya, CEO of Advanced Oncotherapy, said: “The successful conclusion of the CCL tests gives us confidence that the modules will work under the required conditions to deliver the high energy protons that we need to treat patients effectively. We have tested them on maximum power with no complications, and this is another important milestone in delivering our first LIGHT machine.”
