The University of Wisconsin-Madison and TAE Life Sciences, a biotechnology company specializing in targeted radiation therapy for cancer care, signed a memorandum of understanding with the intention of launching the first accelerator-based boron neutron capture therapy center in the U.S.
The University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health will install the Alphabeam compact accelerator-based boron neutron capture therapy system designed by TAE Life Sciences.
The UW-Madison collaboration “underscores the growing momentum and recognition of BNCT as a transformative cancer therapy,” Robert Hill, CEO of TAE Life Sciences, said in a statement. “By working closely with the university and the University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center… we aim to revolutionize the landscape for cancer treatment, and make even the most challenging cancers treatable with minimal side effects.”
Alphabeam uses targeted boron-10 drugs and low-energy neutrons to destroy tumors with no damage to healthy tissues. This results in patients enduring shorter, less invasive treatments.
The proposal involves collaboration on research and development of Alphabeam and novel boron-10 drugs through pre-clinical and clinical studies, including brain and head and neck cancers.
“Our collaboration with TAE Life Sciences brings together our expertise in clinical radiation medicine, translational research and theranostics with the accelerator-based BNCT system, enabling us to harness the full potential of this advanced cancer treatment,” Dr. Zachary Morris, chair and professor of human oncology at the UW School of Medicine and Public Health, said in a statement. “Together, we aim to accelerate the development and clinical implementation of this therapy, ultimately providing patients with what we hope will be a markedly improved cancer treatment option that is currently not available anywhere else in North America.”
