Swedish medical company Elekta showcases latest tech at CIIE

Swedish medical equipment manufacturer Elekta is showcasing its latest technologies and solutions at the fifth China International Import Expo in Shanghai.

At this year's expo, Elekta said it will launch two new products of an intelligent one-stop adaptive platform and an image-guided brachytherapy solution. During the event, the Swedish company continues to showcase its iconic products of a gamma knife, an oncology information system, and a unity machine, which is a high-field magnetic resonance linear accelerator.

One of the star exhibits, Elekta's unity machine made its Asian debut at the CIIE in 2018. Joining hands with five clinical research centers in China, Elekta completed the clinical trials of this unity product one year later.

The company announced that the unity machine officially entered the Chinese market after receiving approval from the National Medical Products Administration on Aug 20, 2020.

In 2021, Elekta's unity machine was deployed in five oncology hospitals and treatment centers in China, which marked the start of its clinical application.

"Regarding the radiotherapy industry, the CIIE provides a superior opportunity for multinational companies to showcase their brands and products, further helping China's radiotherapy industry to seamlessly connect with the international cutting-edge level," said Gong Anming, executive vice-president of Elekta and president of Elekta China.

As a regular exhibitor, Elekta has brought its latest technologies and intelligent solutions to the annual expo. At the second CIIE, the company showcased its 5G and artificial intelligent technology applications. It held the inauguration ceremony of its 1,000th imported medical linear accelerator at the third expo in 2020. Moreover, a new-generation linear accelerator product of Elekta made its Asian debut at the fourth CIIE in 2021.

This year, the fifth CIIE is being held on Nov 5-10 at the National Exhibition and Convention Center in Shanghai, with a total exhibition area covering more than 366,000 square meters.

"The CIIE is an important window for China's opening-up to the outside world and a key platform for the implementation of China's dual circulation economic model," Gong said.

Over the past few years, Elekta has moved with the CIIE to achieve greater development in the country.

"Elekta has upgraded its role from 'exhibitor' to 'investor', accelerating the application of international cutting-edge technology in China," Gong said.

Leveraging the opportunities from the CIIE, Elekta then set up its regional headquarters in Shanghai after its first participation in the expo in 2018.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of Elekta and the 40th anniversary of the company entering the Chinese market in 1982.

"Nowadays, radiotherapy departments in Chinese hospitals have been evolving into radiotherapy centers with comprehensive equipment and technology. Furthermore, China's radiotherapy is developing toward precision, intelligence and personalization," the executive said.

Along with the development of the Chinese radiotherapy industry, Elekta has been continuously investing in technological innovation and talent cultivation in the country. The company has offered services for precision radiotherapy through a slew of comprehensive solutions covering technology, platforms and intelligent informatic systems.

In response to the Healthy China 2030 initiative, Elekta has increased investment in its production, research and development and talent cultivation over the past few years.

In 2013, the company established Elekta LINC, a learning and training center for radiotherapy in Beijing.

Elekta established the Radiation Therapy Academy in 2019, which is the first cooperative development platform for medical research and teaching in China's radiotherapy industry.

The academy aims to promote the country's integration with international advanced radiotherapy technology, expand the number of talents, and effectively improve the clinical application level of radiotherapy in China from three aspects of innovative development platforms, clinical research cooperation and talent training, according to the company.

In addition, Elekta has set up its largest radiotherapy equipment manufacturing center in Beijing outside Europe, which has supplied products to other countries and regions worldwide.

To date, the company has set up branches in Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Guangzhou and Wuhan, with more than 800 employees.

"Looking forward, Elekta will continue its dedication to local innovation and empower China's ecology of intelligent radiotherapy," Gong said.

Elekta is dedicated to leading industrial development by sustaining innovation in medical technology and its business has covered more than 120 countries and regions.

Its advanced technologies and innovative solutions are applied in more than 7,000 medical institutions around the world, providing diagnosis and treatment services for more than 2 million patients every year.