Elekta acquires 3D Line Medical Systems
23 April 2007 Stockholm, Sweden. Swedish medical technology company
Elekta (STO:EKTAB), has acquired Milan-based 3D Line Medical Systems S.r.l.
The acquisition gives Elekta an R&D group specialized in stereotactic
radiosurgery and dynamic IMRT treatments as well as a product portfolio of
advanced equipment and treatment planning software systems for performing
radiation therapy with extreme precision and optimized dose distribution.
Elekta will pay
€10m in cash for assets in 3D Line Medical Systems (3D Line) related
to radiation therapy and up to a maximum of
€8m, based on future performance over
the coming 3 years. Elekta expects to consolidate 3D Line into its accounts
from May 1, 2007. 3D Line was founded in Italy in 1991 by the neurosurgeon
Prof. Cesare Giorgi and three computer scientists Davide Casolino, Marco
Luzzara and Enrico Ongania. The company has 35 employees and consultants, of
whom most are based in Milan, Italy. Among the 3D Line technologies
commercially available today, are the ERGO++, a specialized treatment
planning system for stereotactic radiation therapy and dynamic IMRT and also
the DYNART series of micro-sized multi leaf collimators. In 2006, 3D Line’s
net sales totalled
€6m. “3D Line is one of the world’s
most innovative and competent companies in supplying hardware and software
for linear accelerator based stereotactic radiosurgery and dynamic IMRT
treatment and we see a strong potential in becoming part of the Elekta
Group, the pioneers of radiosurgery. The 3D Line development team, with
strong experience in highly sophisticated dynamic treatments, will be able
to further enhance Elekta’s product portfolio both through the current
products and by the planned joint development,” commented the founders of 3D
Line. Already integrated in Elekta Axesse, a robotic image-guided
stereotactic treatment management system from Elekta, 3D Line technology
will form a platform for further integration and development to meet the
demand from advanced radiation oncology programs for integrated, open
architecture solutions for enhancing precision and accuracy in radiation
therapy. “3D Line’s current products as well as the R&D pipeline fit
extremely well into the Elekta Group and the acquisition is an important
step in the further advancement of radiation therapy,” says Tomas Puusepp,
President and CEO of Elekta. “3D Line’s cutting-edge technology for dynamic
beam shaping, arc treatment and stereotactic treatment planning is an
excellent addition to Elekta’s world-leading solutions for advanced
radiation therapy and with the increased global sales reach within Elekta,
we will be able to exploit the increasing demand for these products,” Tomas
Puusepp concludes. Roberto Pellegrini, CEO of 3D Line Medical Systems,
says: “The strong synergies between 3D Line and the Elekta Group both in
radiation therapy and radiosurgery warrants a successful future of the whole
team. The highly motivated and creative Italian spirit of 3D Line has always
given rise to alternative and unsurpassed solutions; the combination with
the high technology always promoted by Elekta has already started to
generate unique solutions, to the benefits of physicians and patients all
over the world,” Roberto Pellegrini concludes. To top
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