TomoTherapy Reduces Dependency on Single Linear Accelerator Manufacturer

TomoTherapy (TOMO) of Madison, Wisconsin, which makes the Hi•Art treatment system for advanced radiation therapy, will buy privately held Chengdu Twin Peak Accelerator Technology Inc., located in the provincial capital of Sichuan, China. Twin Peak produces linear accelerators, which are used in radiation therapy systems to create the high-energy x-rays that treat cancer. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

TomoTherapy said the transaction would give it a second source of linear accelerators, reducing the risk of dependence on a single manufacturer. Costs were also a factor, as the Twin Peak accelerator will improve margins, and the company’s products are expected to improve reliability of TomoTherapy machines. TomoTherapy did not position the acquisition as a means of marketing its high-end machines to the China market.

TomoTherapy developed and builds the TomoTherapy Hi•Art® treatment system, an advanced radiation therapy system that combines integrated CT imaging with radiation therapy. The system delivers its radiation more precisely than less sophisticated machines, reducing the damage to healthy tissue.

Disclosure: none.