Gifu Prefectural General Medical Center Achieves Milestone with Treatment of the First Cancer Patients in Japan Using the Accuray Radixact® System and VitalHold™ Solution

Rhea-AI Summary

Accuray Incorporated (NASDAQ: ARAY) announced that Gifu Prefectural General Medical Center in Japan has become the first hospital in the country to treat cancer patients using the Radixact® Radiation Delivery System and VitalHold™ solution for surface-guided radiation therapy (SGRT). This technology enables precise patient positioning and monitoring during treatment, including the deep inspiration breath hold (DIBH) technique for left breast cancer.

The hospital's adoption of this technology is part of its plan to expand patient access to high-precision radiation therapy. Dr. Yuichi Kajiura, from the department of radiation oncology, highlighted the benefits of the Radixact System with VitalHold, including faster patient setup and improved monitoring throughout treatment. The hospital is also using ClearRT™ to produce diagnostic-like quality images for more informed treatment decisions.

Positive

• First hospital in Japan to use Radixact® System and VitalHold™ for SGRT
• Technology enables precise patient positioning and monitoring during treatment
• Faster patient setup and improved treatment accuracy reported by hospital
• ClearRT™ provides diagnostic-like quality images for better treatment planning

Negative

• None.

Medical Technology Analyst

The introduction of Accuray's Radixact® System with VitalHold™ at Gifu Prefectural General Medical Center marks a significant advancement in radiation therapy in Japan. This technology's ability to provide real-time patient positioning and monitoring could potentially improve treatment precision and outcomes, particularly for challenging cases like left breast cancer.

The adoption of surface-guided radiation therapy (SGRT) represents a shift towards more personalized and adaptive treatment approaches. This could lead to reduced side effects and improved quality of life for patients. However, the true clinical impact and cost-effectiveness of this technology will need to be evaluated over time through real-world data and comparative studies.

For Accuray, this milestone could strengthen its market position in Japan and potentially lead to increased adoption of its technology in other medical centers. Investors should monitor future installations and clinical outcomes to gauge the long-term impact on Accuray's revenue and market share in the competitive radiation therapy market.

Financial Analyst

While this news is positive for Accuray (NASDAQ: ARAY), its financial impact may be in the short term. The installation at Gifu Prefectural General Medical Center is a single-site implementation and widespread adoption will take time. However, it could serve as a valuable reference site for future sales in Japan, potentially accelerating market penetration.

Investors should focus on future order book growth and revenue recognition patterns related to this technology. The high-value nature of radiation therapy systems means that even a modest increase in installations could significantly impact Accuray's financials. Key metrics to watch include order backlog, system revenue and service revenue growth in upcoming quarters.

It's worth noting that Accuray is currently operating under an interim CEO, which adds some uncertainty to the company's strategic direction. The success of innovations like VitalHold could play a important role in attracting top talent for permanent leadership positions.

The Technology Will Play an Important Role in the Hospital's Plan to Expand Patient Access to High Precision Radiation Therapy Treatments

MADISON, Wis., Sept. 10, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Accuray Incorporated (NASDAQ: ARAY) announced today that Gifu Prefectural General Medical Center is setting a new standard in cancer care in Japan as the first hospital in the country to treat patients with surface-guided radiation therapy (SGRT) using the company's Radixact^® Radiation Delivery System and VitalHold™* package. SGRT is designed to help medical care teams to effectively position the patient and confidently monitor the accuracy of that positioning throughout treatment. The ability to confidently monitor also enables the deep inspiration breath hold (DIBH) technique, which is often used in left breast cancer treatment to help protect the heart from radiation.

During treatment with SGRT, high resolution cameras continuously monitor a patient's breathing and position in real-time to create a 3-dimensional map of a patient's skin. The image enables medical care teams to easily visualize the difference between the current body position and the target position, helping to ensure the patient is appropriately positioned when radiation is delivered. 

"I am very pleased with the customer interest in Japan for VitalHold, our joint solution in partnership with C-Rad, since we received Shonin approval at the end of 2023. At Accuray, we are relentlessly focused on innovation that improves the value of, and patient access to, our products. The VitalHold technology reflects this focus, adding to the unique benefits offered by the Radixact System and expanding options for delivering high precision radiation treatments," said Sandeep Chalke, Senior Vice President, Chief Commercial Officer and interim CEO at Accuray. "We are proud to support Gifu Prefectural General Medical Center as they treat the first patients in Japan with the Radixact System and VitalHold. This is an important milestone that I believe will accelerate their team's efforts to improve access, outcomes and the patient experience."

Approximately 50 percent of all cancer patients need radiotherapy at least once to cure their cancer, increase the chance of cure or relieve symptoms caused by cancer¹. The Gifu Prefectural General Medical Center team is focused on driving a fundamental change in the way cancer is managed.

"We are delighted to announce the commencement of our hospital's use of the Radixact System with VitalHold. In our efforts to enhance the availability of radiation therapy delivered in our department, which has long been a challenge, we have constructed a new building, introduced the Radixact System and will initiate treatments with the Accuray CyberKnife^® S7™ System at a later date. One of the reasons we decided to switch from an older C-arm linear accelerator, which we have been using for many years, to the Radixact System, is to take advantage of the unique benefits of helical imaging and delivery in combination with the capabilities of VitalHold," said Yuichi Kajiura, M.D., department of radiation oncology, Gifu Prefectural General Medical Center.

Continued Dr. Kajiura, "By using VitalHold, we can set up patients faster than initially anticipated and monitor the patient's position throughout the radiation treatment. With the use of hypofractionation, or the delivery of increased dose per session, monitoring the patient's position during irradiation has become extremely important. These factors enable us to deliver highly accurate treatments and will help us to provide the highest quality medical services to our patients."

At Gifu Prefectural General Medical Center, the team is using ClearRT™ to produce diagnostic-like quality images that will empower them to make more informed decisions about all aspects of their patients' treatments. To date, ClearRT has facilitated accurate patient alignment - with clearer images - than conventional MVCT. ClearRT has also enabled the Gifu team to plan and deliver more precise treatments, by providing them with the ability to clearly see changes in the contours of the body and the shape of the tumor due to daily radiation therapy.

Important Safety Information
For Important Safety Information please refer to https://www.accuray.com/safety-statement.

About Accuray  
Accuray is committed to expanding the powerful potential of radiation therapy to improve as many lives as possible. We invent unique, market-changing solutions that are designed to deliver radiation treatments for even the most complex cases—while making commonly treatable cases even easier—to meet the full spectrum of patient needs. We are dedicated to continuous innovation in radiation therapy for oncology, neuro-radiosurgery, and beyond, as we partner with clinicians and administrators, empowering them to help patients get back to their lives, faster. Accuray is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, with facilities worldwide. To learn more, visit www.accuray.com or follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, X, and YouTube.

Safe Harbor Statement
Statements made in this press release that are not statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements and are subject to the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements in this press release relate, but are not limited to, expectations regarding the company's products and upgrades; expectations regarding patient access and cancer management in Japan; clinical applications; clinical results; patient experiences and patient outcomes. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. If any of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or if any of the company's assumptions prove incorrect, actual results could differ materially from the results expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the company's ability to achieve widespread market acceptance of its products, including new product innovations and releases; the company's ability to develop new products or improve existing products to meet customers' needs; the company's ability to anticipate or keep pace with changes in the marketplace; and the direction of technological innovation and customer demands and such other risks identified under the heading "Risk Factors" in the company's quarterly report on Form 10-Q, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") on May 8, 2024, and as updated periodically with the company's other filings with the SEC.

Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date the statements are made and are based on information available to the company at the time those statements are made and/or management's good faith belief as of that time with respect to future events. The company assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect actual performance or results, changes in assumptions or changes in other factors affecting forward-looking information, except to the extent required by applicable securities laws. Accordingly, investors should not put undue reliance on any forward-looking statements.

Media Contact: 
Beth Kaplan   
Public Relations Director, Accuray   
+1 (408) 789-4426
bkaplan@accuray.com

*VitalHold availability is subject to regulatory clearance or approval in some markets.

¹ INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY, Radiotherapy in Cancer Care: Facing the Global Challenge, Non-serial Publications , IAEA, Vienna (2017)

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SOURCE Accuray Incorporated

FAQ

What new cancer treatment technology has Gifu Prefectural General Medical Center introduced?

Gifu Prefectural General Medical Center has introduced the Accuray Radixact® Radiation Delivery System and VitalHold™ solution for surface-guided radiation therapy (SGRT), becoming the first hospital in Japan to treat patients with this technology.

How does the VitalHold™ technology benefit cancer patients?

VitalHold™ enables precise patient positioning and real-time monitoring during radiation therapy, improving treatment accuracy. It also facilitates the deep inspiration breath hold (DIBH) technique, which helps protect the heart during left breast cancer treatment.

What imaging technology is Gifu Prefectural General Medical Center using with the Radixact® System?

The hospital is using ClearRT™ technology, which produces diagnostic-like quality images. This allows for more informed treatment decisions and the ability to see changes in body contours and tumor shape during daily radiation therapy.

How has the Radixact® System with VitalHold™ improved treatment at Gifu Prefectural General Medical Center?

According to Dr. Yuichi Kajiura, the technology has enabled faster patient setup than initially anticipated and allows for monitoring of the patient's position throughout radiation treatment, leading to highly accurate treatments and improved quality of medical services.