Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium, June 10, 2026 - IBA (Ion Beam Applications S.A., EURONEXT), the world leader in particle accelerator technology and the leading provider of proton therapy solutions for the treatment of cancer, today announced a sponsored research agreement with The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center aimed at advancing health economics evidence generation for proton beam therapy.
This research will focus on generating robust clinical and economic evidence to better quantify the value of proton therapy compared with other treatment modalities. The research will be led by Dr. Matthew Ning, MD, MPH, Assistant Professor of Radiation Oncology and Dr. Iakovos Toumazis, Assistant Professor of Health Services Research and co-lead for UT MD Anderson's Institute for Data Science in Oncology's decision analytics for health focus area.
Under the agreement, IBA will support the researchers in conducting a series of projects designed to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of proton therapy across multiple cancer indications, considering clinical outcomes, toxicity reduction, and broader economic impacts.
Advancing Value-Based Cancer Care
Proton therapy is one of the most advanced forms of radiation therapy1 designed to deliver highly precise radiation dose to the tumor while reducing radiation exposure to surrounding healthy tissue. This precision helps reduce side effects and long-term toxicity2, which can be an important driver of clinical value and overall healthcare costs.
As healthcare systems and payers increasingly focus on value-based care, robust evidence on clinical outcomes, toxicity reduction, and total cost of care is critical to inform treatment decisions, reimbursement discussions, and patient access.
The collaboration will assess:
- The cost-effectiveness of proton therapy versus alternative treatments
- Direct and indirect costs from payer, patient, and societal perspectives
- Variations in value across different patient populations and cancer indications
- The potential long-term economic benefits associated with reduced toxicity
"Generating high-quality evidence on the clinical and economic value of proton therapy is essential to support informed decision-making, improve patient access, and help healthcare systems allocate resources responsibly." said Olivier Legrain, Chief Executive Officer of IBA. "We are proud to collaborate with these talented UT MD Anderson scientists on such relevant research."
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About IBA
IBA (Ion Beam Applications S.A.) is the world leader in particle accelerator technology. The company is the leading supplier of equipment and services in the fields of proton therapy, considered as one of the most advanced forms of radiation therapy available today, as well as industrial sterilization, radiopharmaceuticals and dosimetry. The company, based in Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium, employs approximately 2,300 people worldwide. IBA is a certified B Corporation (B Corp) meeting the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance.
IBA is listed on the pan-European stock exchange EURONEXT (IBA: Reuters IBAB.BR and Bloomberg IBAB.BB). More information can be found at: www.iba-worldwide.com
CONTACTS
Nathalie van Ypersele
Head of Communication and Sustainability
+32 10 475 890
communication@iba-group.com
Daniel Ernult
Corporate Communication Manager
+32 10 475 890
communication@iba-group.com
1 Yan S, Ngoma TA, Ngwa W, Bortfeld TR. Global democratisation of proton radiotherapy. Lancet Oncol. 2023 Jun;24(6):e245-e254.
2 Mohan R. A Review of Proton Therapy - Current Status and Future Directions. Precis Radiat Oncol. 2022 Jun;6(2):164-176.
