Varian Medical Systems presents its newest linear accelerator, the VitalBeam, and discusses its potential as a “cost competitive option.”

Marie Thibault

The VitalBeam linear accelerator is the newest addition to Varian Medical Systems' product portfolio.

Varian Medical Systems, the largest player in the linear accelerator (linac) market, has added another system to its lineup. During the European Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology (ESTRO) annual meeting, held recently in Barcelona, the company presented its VitalBeam linac. The system, which is awaiting CE Mark and FDA 510(k) clearance, is expected to be targeted at centers in the emerging markets.

Linacs, a major part of the radiation oncology market, are used to deliver radiation to kill cancer cells. Varian has 60% global market share and as the United States and other developed markets have reached saturation in linacs, the company and its competitors have increased their focus on the emerging markets.

Hospitals in the emerging markets often have more limited budgets, so companies usually offer more basic linacs at more attractive prices. Varian has long sold its most basic linac, the Unique system, into these developing countries. The VitalBeam is targeting a customer population somewhere between the Unique system and the company’s high-end TrueBeam system.

According to a Seeking Alpha transcript, Dow Wilson, Varian’s president and chief executive officer, explained the new system’s future position in the product portfolio on a April 29 earnings call with analysts: “we see this [VitalBeam] as really kind of between Unique and TrueBeam, and fulfilling a space where we can be more competitive. I think it's going to give us better price support, TrueBeam, and it's not going to compete with the Unique at all.”

The company's press release announcing the VitalBeam describes the system as being upgradable from its foundational offering, which includes "an 80-leaf collimator for intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), low-dose megavoltage (MV) imaging using the accelerator beam for image guidance, and respiratory gating for motion management." Hospitals can choose to upgrade the system with other Varian offerings like faster RapidArc radiotherapy, a 120-leaf collimator, and cone-beam CT imaging capabilities, according to the release. 

Tim Clark, head of European marketing for Oncology Systems, said in the release, "Customers can configure the system they way that they want it. They can choose to start with one configuration and add capabilities over time, at a pace that suits them. It is distinct from our versatile TrueBeam radiotherapy and radiosurgery platform in that VitalBeam is optimized for advanced radiotherapy while TrueBeam systems were designed to handle both." 

"VitalBeam is a scalable and upgradeable system that affordably meets the clinical needs of hospitals today and as they grow in the future...Customer interest at ESTRO was very high and we plan to make it available to customers in Europe first, while seeking clearances around the rest of the world," Wilson said on the earnings call, adding that the system has not yet attained CE Mark or FDA 510(k) clearance.  

Marie Thibault is the associate editor at MD+DI. Reach her at [email protected] and on Twitter @medtechmarie. 

[Image courtesy of Varian Medical Systems Inc. All rights reserved.]