Siemens Healthineers to receive $60M in federal funding for key cancer therapy
Siemens Healthineers is set to receive tens of millions in federal funding to accelerate a potent form of targeted radiation therapy.
Photon flash therapy is an experimental treatment that utilizes an ultrahigh dose rate of radiotherapy. It is capable of delivering treatment 100 times faster than currently available options. Flash therapy offers targeted tumor treatment while also sparing surrounding healthy tissue, thus limiting adverse side effects.
The U.S. Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) will be awarding Siemens up to $60 million over a period of five years to further develop and expand access to the technique. Experts believe the expedited option of flash therapy could have a positive impact on patients who need cancer treatment across the globe.
“This investment from ARPA‑H strengthens our efforts to explore the potential of photon flash therapy and to widen the possibilities for patients who may one day benefit from it,” Arthur Kaindl, head of Varian at Siemens Healthineers, said in a news release. “By building on the extensive installed base of C-arm linear accelerators, we aim to speed potential adoption and enable broader access as this work progresses."
“The radiation oncology community is at the forefront of cancer care, and this ARPA-H award—a milestone as the first for our field—recognizes our specialty’s unique ability to safely and effectively treat cancer,” added Sameer R. Keole, MD, chair of the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) Board of Directors. “This support for advanced radiation therapy research will drive improved technologies, more efficient treatments and new hope for people with cancer.”
In addition to APRA-H's $60 million award, Siemens Healthineers also has signaled it will invest another $23 million as a cost share spanning the five-year grant period.
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In addition to her background in journalism, Hannah also has patient-facing experience in clinical settings, having spent more than 12 years working as a registered rad tech. She began covering the medical imaging industry for Innovate Healthcare in 2021.