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Orders Coming in for Varian Medical’s VitalBeam
Varian’s management announces orders have already starting coming in for the new VitalBeam linear accelerator, which may help increase radiotherapy penetration in emerging markets.
Marie Thibault
October 29, 2015
3 Min Read
Marie Thibault
The VitalBeam system is a lower-priced product offering that may help increase use of radiotherapy in emerging markets.
Varian Medical Systems, known as the leading global player in the linear accelerator radiation therapy market, is aiming to bring more radiotherapy equipments to the emerging markets. The goal isn't new, but the company's new VitalBeam system, announced in April at the European Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology (ESTRO) annual meeting in Barcelona, may boost its strategy.
Earlier this month, Varian announced that the VitalBeam had secured FDA 510(k) clearance and CE Mark. As part of the announcement, the company highlighted a purchase of the VitalBeam platform by The Chirayu Medical College and Hospital in Bhopal, India. According to the press release, Kolleen Kennedy, president of Varian's Oncology Systems business, said, "Our goal, with this platform, was to help increase access to quality cancer care around the world."
The owner of The Chirayu Medical College and Hospital, Ajay Goenka, MD, said in the release, "We chose VitalBeam because we wanted something with the advantages of the TrueBeam platform that would enable us to go beyond basic intensity-modulated radiotherapy."
On the company's October 28 earnings call, Dow Wilson, president and CEO, said, “We’ve received several VitalBeam orders, and early signs are this affordable extension of the TrueBeam platform will be a winner, particularly in emerging markets," according to a Seeking Alpha transcript. According to the regulatory clearance announcement, orders have come in from centers in the United States and Europe.
Wilson also mentioned a recent study from The Lancet Oncology Commission that details the need for more than 20,000 new radiotherapy systems, with the majority needed in low- and middle-income countries. Wilson said on the earnings call:
"The report is recommending that, by 2020, 80% of these countries should establish national cancer plans, and make radiotherapy part of their universal health coverage. Over the next 10 years, the commission recommends investing $46 billion in these countries to expand radiotherapy capacity. This will require education and training of thousands of doctors, physicists, and therapists. Varian has established a market development team that is partnering with governments, financiers, clinicians . . . and patient advocacy groups to support this effort."
The VitalBeam seems to make sense for Varian's business strategy when it comes to pricing and market expansion as well. Wilson pointed out on the October 28 call, "It's a product that we think is great for emerging markets and is really going to help us expand the market. It's an entry point for value markets and a chance to sell up . . . We have seen good price stability on the TrueBeam as VitalBeam is coming into these markets."
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Marie Thibault is the associate editor at MD+DI. Reach her at [email protected] and on Twitter @medtechmarie.
[Image courtesy of VARIAN MEDICAL SYSTEMS]
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